Bloody Mess
by YumeKoe
Summary: Reunions. Realization. Revenge. Severe miscommunication. It's a bloody mess. Kirihara x Hiyoshi. Silver Pair. Gakuto x ? A vampire tale. AU. Sequel to "Bloody Annoyances" & "Bloody Days"
1. Chapter 1: Kirihara

Title: Bloody Mess

Disclaimer: "Prince of Tennis" belongs to Konomi-sensei. I'm merely loosely using the characters because I like to have fun with them.

CHAPTER 1

Kirihara Akaya was flopped over a nicely wiped down bar counter, his black shaggy mop of hair itching his cheek. Green eyes were glassy and unseeing, his body cold and motionless. No one batted an eyelash. Damn, he loved his bar.

This was all perfectly acceptable. At any respectable bar, it was normal, even customary, for there to be at least one person flopped over the counter. It made the rest of the poor bastards in the room feel better about themselves before it was their turn. Sure, the wallowing lush of the night wasn't usually a centuries old vampire, and they were usually drunk enough to be seeing pink elephants on the walls, but hey, this vampire owned the place, so he could do whatever the hell he wanted.

He was dying. He had to be dying. For years now, decades, he'd been starving and he didn't know why. It didn't matter how much he drank, or whose blood he fed on, it all tasted like dirt. Really gross dirt. It did nothing but barely sustain him. His strength was gone, and so was his energy. Hell, even his sex drive was gone. Life, or afterlife, however ya want to put it, sucked.

Watching the human's pass behind him through the reflection on his beer, he waited for someone who smelled good to show up. Not that anyone would, but what did he have to lose? If he wasn't there, he'd just go upstairs to his apartment and sleep his night away. He used to be the owner and a chef at one of the best restaurants in town, but he'd had to give it up or the workers would have noticed how their local star chef didn't age. Whatever, he didn't have the energy for it anyway.

A smirk caught his eye, reflected for just a split second in his beer mug. His body reacted as if it had a will of its own, sitting up and whirling around to desperately search for that smirk again, though he had no idea why. It was gone. Weird. His mind was playing tricks on him. Stupid hunger did funny things to his brain.

Pouting and in a bad mood, he stuck his hands in his pockets and grumbled his way towards the door. Then the scent hit him. Holy shit. His mouth watered, and what he had left of his senses shivered and tingled. Instinct had him moving, stalking seamlessly between others, and stopping when he found the source of that scent before he even realized he'd moved.

Yummy. There was a guy standing in the shadows, watching him. He was taller than him, and his hair was a funny mushroom shape. He hadn't smelled anyone or anything this wonderful in a long, long time. Akaya stared for a moment then smiled.

"Hey." His voice formed the word, which was pretty impressive really with how much he was salivating. He walked toward him, but really he needed to get them out of there quick before he jumped the guy in public. The longer the guy just stood there with that shocked expression, the less and less he cared about people seeing.

The weird hair guy stuttered a few times, and a school-girl blush spread across his pale cheeks. "H-Hey..." Oh damn. That blushy stutter was sexy. He wanted to eat him up. The guy was leaving. Wait, WHAT?!

He ran after him, grabbing his arm before he could leave. "H...hey... um... Can I buy you a drink or something...? Please...?" He didn't care how desperate he sounded. He WAS desperate.

"Okay..."

The guy looked like he was about to have a panic attack, but Akaya was too, so it was all good. He smiled and pulled the guy back towards the bar before he could try to escape again. Wait. Hadn't the goal been to get him outside the bar so he could eat him? Oops. "What's your drink of choice? And your name? My name is Akaya."

"I don't drink." The mushroom guy coughed, embarrassed, and Akaya wanted to snuggle him. Weeeird. "Hiyo... Wakashi. My name is Wakashi."

Akaya smiled more and sat down beside him. "Wakashi. That's an awesome name." He liked how easily it slid off his tongue as if he'd already said it a thousand times. "If you don't drink alcohol, then what would you like to drink? Order whatever you like. I own the place so it's on the house." He winked.

"Are you happy?" The guy's face turned deep red again and he heard him whisper 'Idiot' under his breath before turning away and pounding his forehead into his palm.

Ouch. Akaya suddenly felt a painful pressure in the center of his forehead. Another weird, stupid thing that had been happening over the last few decades. It didn't matter if he wasn't doing anything at all, almost every day at least some part of him would randomly start hurting. He rubbed the back of his neck and tried to answer the random question. "Happy? I don't know if that's the right word for it, but..."

"But you're not... unhappy?"

Why did this guy smell so damn good? Why did he make him feel so strange? Why did he want to jump him even though all the guy was doing was asking him weird questions?

"Sorry. This was a mistake. You're sure to find better company. Please, be happy."

While Akaya was mentally flailing, the guy, Wakash,i was already halfway to the exit again. "WAIT! No! Don't go, please!" He chased after him quickly. "Wakashi!" He was so scared that the guy would leave and he'd never find him again. He just knew that if Wakashi left now that his world would end. He needed to eat him.

Outside of the bar, at the call of his name, the guy stiffened and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. Akaya watched as his shoulders lifted and sank and the guy took deep breathes before turning to face him again. "What do you want?" The voice that had just moments ago been hesitant and weak were now gruff and menacing.

Oh, damn. Now that they were outside, away from all the scents inside the bar, he could smell the human so much better. "I..." He couldn't really say he wanted to drink his blood, but... Mmm... He smelled so good... and he was so hungry... He didn't even realize his fangs were showing.

The laughing brought him out of his happy 'good human smell' moment. Wakashi was laughing at him, so hard that tears were starting to fall from his human eyes. "Eh?" He blinked again, confused, then felt his fangs. "Oh...um um...these are -uh-uh...er...costume fangs? Yes...costume!"

The human laughed even harder, and Akaya wondered if he would pass out from lack of air. Usually he hated it when people laughed at him. That was grounds for blood and killing. Right now though, the passing out thing would be totally okay with him. Easier to feed off him and maybe take him home where he could keep him forever and ever. And he was really cute when he laughed... Oh wait, Wakashi had stopped laughing. "Ack!"

The human... Wakashi was human, right? The human grabbed his collar and dragged him around to the side of the building. That seemed wrong. He was the vampire here. Wasn't he supposed to be the one doing that? With an almost inhuman strength, he was thrown up against the wall, and then the human's body was pressed up against his. Why did this feel like deja vu, only backwards? Insane brown eyes stared intently into his own. "I'll make a deal with you..."

"Eh?" He was not used to being pushed around by a human of all things. Damn, the guy was sexy. "What kind of deal?" His voice sounded a bit huskier than it had just a moment ago and he didn't resist the urge to rub up against him a little.

"I'll let you drink..." The human leaned in closer, lowering his face to nuzzle against the side of his neck, acting very much the part of a vampire. Wow, this was so backwards. "Take as much as you want. Take all of it. All I ask... is that you not stop until I'm dead. Otherwise..." a silver knife flashed and was suddenly poised to cut off his head. "Do we have a deal?"

Akaya tensed, but the sound of the guy's heartbeat and the smell of his blood overwhelmed his fear. "Yeah... We do... but why?" The human bared his neck to him and he practically purred, dragged his fangs over the human's yummy neck slowly. "Why do you want to die?"

The knife dropped from his neck and clattered to the ground. The world shifted suddenly as the human turned them, placing himself against the wall. "Because..." Brown eyes met his again and a hand buried in his curly hair, gripping it tightly. Wakashi looked so happy. No one should look so happy when they just asked to die. "I would rather die... than go another night without you." Those intense eyes held him captive, and the vampire felt as if he were the one still pressed up against the wall. He couldn't move, couldn't think. What did he...

He didn't have any more time to ask, not even think. His fangs were forced down onto the human's neck. "Mm..." He bit down hard, drinking and moaning, all other thoughts dissolving into nothing. He was in heaven. Nothing had felt this right in years. Suddenly he felt strong and sated again, the blood was sweet nectar on his tongue. He would never get enough.

He barely registered the human clinging to him, shuddering and moaning against him. Even when he could feel the human growing weaker, he only clung to him tighter.

"Thank you... my love..." And Wakashi's heart stopped.


	2. Chapter 2: Hiyoshi

CHAPTER 2

"I would rather die... than go another night... without you."

After so many years, Hiyoshi Wakashi was in his lover's arms again, and it was unspeakable heaven. When he'd arrived back in town, the familiar streets had immediately made him want to turn tail and run, but he'd already promised himself he would never do that again. Even if Akaya didn't remember him anymore... Now that his reason for living this life was gone, he couldn't help but want to see the only reason he's ever wanted to live for.

It was luck that Hiyoshi had spotted him in that bar. He hadn't even known if Akaya was still in town and had only meant to start his search at Akaya's old apartment above it. He was exactly the same, but of course he was. He thought that if he could just see him again, know that he was well, it would be enough.

Now that Akaya was holding him, pressed against him, clinging and feeding off him as if he were the only important thing in his world... he knew he was wrong. Not even a lifetime with his idiot would have been enough to satiate his need for him. He'd faced countless demons twice Akaya's age and size, but nothing could defeat and undo him like the idiot's clumsy, clingy hold.

Some cosmic force was out there laughing at him. He'd found his lost love, whom he'd been pining over for the last thirty years, just so Akaya could pick him up at a bar and suck him dry. The irony of it drove that little bit of sanity he still maintained right out the window.

His eyes closed tightly and he reveled in this closeness, moaning and shuddering softly in his arms. Even when he began to feel his consciousness fade and his strength leave him, it only made him hold on tighter. This was how it should have been. Akaya should have killed him that very first night they met, just like this.

"Thank you... my love..." He smiled, content in death as his heart stopped.

It only took a moment. It never took long. The beating in his chest resumed it's rhythmic beat, pouring new blood into his veins.

"Wakashi..." His name. No one called him by that name anymore. Ever since he'd discarded his human life, he'd only gone by his family name. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

There was crying, and he could feel his body being held tightly, and a hand slid down his chest.

"What the hell?"

Hiyoshi's face scrunched up into a wince at the loud yell, then blinked a few times before he groaned and opened his eyes to Akaya's teary red face. He was very confused. He must be dreaming. Mm... any dream with Akaya was a good dream. He leaned up hazily to kiss him softly, licking lightly at bloody lips.

To his utter amazement, there was a return pressure on his lips. "Mm...Wakashi..." The figment of his imagination moaned against his lips. "Come on... I'm taking you with me. We're going home."

Home? He'd been home the moment he'd seen Akaya again. But... wasn't he dead? Maybe this was heaven. He didn't deserve this heaven, but if it had Akaya's arms and voice, he'd take it. "Am I dead?" He asked weakly, not having enough of his strength back yet to do much else.

"You were, then your heart started beating again... but I drained you. I have no idea how you're alive."

"No..." It couldn't be. That was supposed to work. That's just the way it was supposed to be! The reason he couldn't die was because he hadn't seen Akaya! Now Akaya had killed him! "I'm dead. I'm supposed to be dead." He hardly noticed that he'd been brought into Akaya's apartment and laid down gently on the couch. Everything was still a bit confusing and hazy. Waking up after dying was always a bit disorienting.

"I'm sorry... but... there must be a reason you didn't die. I'll call Ryou and..."

"NO!" The hunter sat up abruptly and winced. He forgot how difficult it was to move around when he had that much blood drained out of his body. "FUCK! That was supposed to work! What the fuck did you do to me, idiot?!" He glared at his ex-lover. Somehow this had to be all his fault.

There was a crazed look in his eye as he pulled the silver sai out of his boot and brought it up to his own neck, about to start hacking away. This was going to be messy.

The sai was gone from his hands before he could blink and thrown to the side. "Ow! Fuck, that hurt!" Akaya was holding his burned hand that had just threw the silver sai away. "I didn't do anything, alright? Just... let me help you... I can call Ryou and maybe he'll know why you're the only one I can drink from."

Hiyoshi's jaw was still hanging open at the shock of having his weapon taken away from him. Growling, he pulled out a shuriken next and chucked it, barely having to look. It soared right past Akaya's ear to imbed in the phone behind him. "No. You won't be calling anyone," he commanded in a threatening tone. Another sai appeared at his throat. He always had extras. "Unless it's to call your cleaning lady." This was not his first choice in death, but he was running out of options, and he didn't want to wait to get back to... "Wait... What did you say?"

Akaya's expression was something between a deer caught in the headlights and scared shitless. "I've never...for years...I haven't been able to drink from anyone. I've...been dying...for years...slowly...for some reason...nothing has been working...but you-your blood...I feel wonderful again..." He was staring and stuttering.

Very slowly, Hiyoshi pulled the sai away from his throat. For once, thoughts of suicide were pushed aside. This was too much to take in. What the hell had Akaya done to them? Enough of his strength had come back now so he could at least stand, so he started walking towards the door. There had to be an explanation, something he could do, something he'd missed.

He stopped. There, right in the center of the coffee table... It was his book. Almost exactly where he'd left it thirty years ago. Even the bookmark was still sticking out from the middle. He'd never had the chance to finish it.

"Hey... Why don't you lay down... I'll make you something to eat? Please?"

"Why do you have this?" He asked quietly. Oh god. Akaya's food... His mouth started to water and his stomach rumbled. He couldn't remember the last time his body did that.

"That? Oh... It's been there a long time. I thought about getting rid of it since I don't know where it came from, but it belongs there." The vampire shrugged.

"You're an idiot." Hiyoshi's voice came out gruffer than he intended. He wasn't supposed to let himself get sucked in. Akaya wasn't supposed to... make him want things, like he always did. He pulled the vampire into his arms and cupped his cheek, memorizing every feature. It was surreal. This couldn't really be happening. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, and he didn't want to think about it. "Good thing I don't mind idiots..."

Suddenly, he was being kissed. His arms wrapped around shoulders slightly lower than his own and his hand buried in messy, beloved curls. He kissed his love back as if it were the most natural thing in the world, not even noticing when he was picked up and carried. Somehow he ended up lying down by himself on the couch with a book on his chest.

"Read. I'll make you some food. What would you like?"

Damn, he couldn't remember the last time he felt so flustered. "Don't you realize what I am? I'm a hunter!" Why was it that when he said that to anyone else, it meant death and impending doom, but when he said it to Akaya... he felt like nothing more than an indignant child. His voice quieted. "I like lobster..."

Akaya smiled brightly at him. "Lobster it is!"

Something was wrong with this. Actually, there were a lot of things wrong with this. However, the immediate question was why would Akaya keep food in his apartment (let alone lobster) if he couldn't eat it. Was he... was he with someone else? His heart froze painfully in his chest. He had no right to be upset... he'd been gone for thirty years...

"Did you hear me? I'm a trained killer of all things supernatural and could kill you in a heartbeat!" At least that managed to come out sounding more intimidating and threatening. It wasn't because he was imagining slowly and painfully killing whoever that food was for, of course not.

"If you want to, go ahead. If you leave, I'll die anyway. It would just take a lot longer and be a lot more painful. Just let me finish dinner first, alright? I wanna make sure you eat."

"But..." Damn it. Akaya was giving him a guilt trip when it was the idiot's own fault! But... It was really hard to stay angry when the love of his life, whom he hadn't seen in years, was smiling at him like that. It was also kind of hard when he was offering him lobster. "Whatever." He picked up the old book, but didn't really look at it. Akaya was cooking for him, not just that, he was cooking him his favorite dish.

"Here ya go. The lobster will be done in a bit." Akaya smiled and placed a cup of tea down in front of him.

"Thank you..." It felt like a dream, or one of his fantasies, watching Akaya in the kitchen. The way he moved fluidly around the small space, humming a little as he focused on cooking. After a while, the whole apartment started to smell amazing.

"I can hear your stomach," the vampire chef laughed from the kitchen. "You're skinny as a stick. You must not be eating right."

Hiyoshi blushed, then glared, turning his face away with a 'hmph'. "I eat just fine..." he grumbled. It wasn't like he was gonna die. The Akaya from before... the one who loved him, that Akaya would have given him an earful if he knew that he hadn't eaten properly since he left.

"Uh huh... Is that why you smell like ramen and fast food?" The idiot smirked over his shoulder at him.

"Shut up." Hiyoshi looked down at his book, then held it up to cover his face with it. He didn't want Akaya to notice him smile. "At least I'm not dumb enough to bring something that could kill me into my home and offer it dinner." So maybe he had done that before with Akaya, but the idiot didn't remember so it didn't count.

"Well, you did pull me into an alleyway and tell me to kill you..."

Oh, yeah. He coughed, feeling the heat on his face as a few phrases he remembered being said came to mind. "Shut up." That wouldn't be a problem now if Akaya hadn't fucked it up. Akaya always messed up his planned deaths.

"Heh, you're cute." His ex-lover was grinning at him again as he served up the lobster and veggies with pasta, and brought it over to him. "Here. Eat. There's more if you want it."

"You're insane." Only Akaya would ever think that. He took the plate, actively trying not to drool. There was no hesitation. He dug in like a starved man. His eyes closed and small moan escaped at the first succulent taste of perfection. Oh, fuck. He'd been wrong before. NOW he was heaven.

There was no more room for talk, too busy eating. He glanced up at Akaya every once in while, trying to figure out what he should do next, but every time their eyes met and Akaya smiled at him, he forgot what he was supposed to be thinking about.

The plate was clean, and Hiyoshi's fingers were itching. Their eyes met again. Akaya... he needed...

The door slammed open, making both of them jump. His ex-lover's sire stood at the entryway, looking shocked as if he was seeing a ghost. "IT IS YOU! HOW THE-"

Hiyoshi's eye's widened, and he didn't have the sense to hear the rest of the sentence, or anything else for that matter. A panic attack struck and he began to hyperventilate. He needed to get out of there now. The plate smashed to the floor as he dashed for the window.

"Where do you think you're going?" The ancient sneered at him. His movement's faltered when his arm was suddenly tight in the Shishido's grip.

"You... you two know each other?" Akaya's confused tone broke through his panic and Hiyoshi began to act.

"Yeah." Shishido began in his usual condescending and sarcastic tone, "This guy and I have known each other for LONG time, right Wa-"

There was a sickening crack, and a hiss of pain from Akaya, as Hiyoshi let his arm break in order to maneuver behind the ancient in an instant. He'd been a deadly hunter for the last thirty years, and a damn good one. He was running completely on instinct, and his stake was now positioned to kill, right at Shishido's heart. Not even the ancient's mental tricks would help him. If Shishido tried to move, he'd end him.

There was a loud gasp and the hunter's gaze lifted for a split second. "Wakashi... Please... What are you doing?"

The hunter's lips formed the name of the best friend and brother he'd forced himself to forget long ago. "Choutarou..." Oh god.

* * *

Author's Note: There's chapter two! As you may have noticed, this third part of the story is going to be much more like the format in "Bloody Annoyance" (only hopefully better since I hope I'm a better writer than when I started this two years ago ^^;;). Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me all this time. I hope I don't disappoint! Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Shishido

CHAPTER 3

When Shishido received Akaya's mental call, he and Choutarou had come right away. Ever since the loss of his child's mate, and he'd forcibly taken Akaya's treasured memories, he'd been keeping close tabs on the brat. Though Atobe had made it clear that he should keep his distance, and part of him grudgingly knew his younger brother was right, he couldn't bring himself to just abandon him. Choutarou had even insisted after a few years that they move back to Japan.

Now there was a stake to his heart and Choutarou's hands were covering his mouth in shock as tears fell from his eyes. "It's going to be okay..." he murmured, staying very still. It didn't matter that there was a stake to his heart, it made Shishido's chest ache to see his love's tears. "Wakashi... Calm down. We need to figure out what's going on, alright? You're alive, so we need to fix things. Put things back how they should be." He loathed those stupid silver cuffs the hunter wore on his ear, protecting him from his mind.

"You want to put things how they should be?!" The obviously crazed hunter hissed at him. "Then let me die! Was it you? Are you the one who did this to me?! No..." Wakashi looked between Akaya and Choutarou, his expression seemed to soften into a sad insane smile, but Shishido only felt his grip tighten on him as he walked them back closer to the window. Apparently Wakashi had gone batshit crazy over the last few decades. Just great.

"Don't try to follow me."

Despite being a fairly old and powerful vampire, Shishido barely had time to react before he was pushed away with surprising strength. He turned just in time to watch Wakashi jump out the eighth floor window.

"WAKASHI!" Choutarou screamed as the blurred form of his child whisked past him and followed the hunter out the window. Choutarou and he both watched in horror as Akaya wrapped his arms around him mid air, and they both impacted with a horrible thud against the street, probably breaking every bone in their bodies.

Shishido face-palmed. "Oh dear lord... It's like raising children. Choutarou, wait here." He hopped up onto the window.

"Please be careful." Worry lines were etched on every feature of his love's face.

"Always am, love." He stole a quick kiss, then took the longer but much safer route down, jumping between balconies.

It looked like Akaya had taken the brunt of the fall. His body was contorted on the ground in a very unpleasant way, and he obviously was not awake yet. On the other hand, Wakashi was already starting to move around and looking like he might still try to bolt again. There was a sickening crack as he set his own broken leg.

"If you don't stop trying to run away, then I'm going to give the memories back and let him come after you instead." He threatened in a matter of fact tone. He really didn't have the patience for this kinda shit anymore.

The apparently fast healing human froze mid-step and looked up at him in surprise. "You... can do that?"

Shishido rolled his eyes. Wakashi and his child were perfect for eachother. They were both idiots. "Of course I can. I can't fuck with his head ever again after I do though. It could break him." He pointed to Akaya's deformed body.

The human's eyes followed his hand and landed on his child. He watched in morbid fascination as the hunter knelt down beside him and systematically started popping all of Akaya's bones and joints back into place with a gentle expression.

"Ow... t..thanks..." The weak voice of his child spoke up, obviously awake and in pain.

The hunter didn't say anything, just continued to put Akaya's body back together. Once the last bone had been set, Wakashi then picked him up gently and cradled him to his chest. Akaya looked quite happy there, staring up at Wakashi with little hearts in his eyes. After this, Shishido was going to take Choutarou with him on a long vacation far, far away.

Shishido sighed. "Come on. Let's go back inside. Choutarou is probably worried sick, and it's all your damn fault," he grumbled and started walking around the building toward the back entrance. They didn't need to be attracting any more attention. He'd already had to wipe the events from at least a dozen passer-byers minds.

"Choutarou is going to kill me..." Wakashi whispered behind him.

"Damn right he is." Shishido snorted. The wariness he heard in Wakashi's voice was the first sane reaction he'd had so far. Not that he could blame him. Choutarou could be a hell of a lot more scary than death.

Akaya's voice perked up between them. "So, who were you talking about? Whose head did ya mess with, Ryou?"

Shishido sweatdropped and ignored him. Wakashi didn't seem too inclined to answer him either. Instead, the hunter looked to the ground and said between gritted teeth, "I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come back."

"Eh? back...?" Akaya's eyes went wide.

"I can't believe you didn't come back sooner. Idiot." His child's mate had made quite a mess of things. He had no idea what Akaya had done to keep him alive all this time, but he ought to be grateful for it. At least things could go back to some semblance of normal now and Choutarou would stop having that sad, far off look every other day. "Akaya's been miserable and a mess without you here. I'm sick of babysitting him." They started up the eight flights of stairs.

"Oi..."

"He's going to be even more miserable if you let him remember." Hiyoshi mumbled grumpily. "Akaya's going to kill me, too."

"Why would I kill you? You like my cooking which means you can't be a bad guy."

"No he won't." Shishido sighed, "Only if you run off and leave him alone again."

"He already tried to kill me..."

"You made me! I didn't want to!"

Shishido raised an eyebrow. That was hard to believe... and why did Wakashi sound so happy about it? He took the liberty of going to into his child's mind to find out exactly what happened. By the time he got the gist of it, he wanted to toss them both out a window again. "Heh. Apparently he cried when he thought you were dead tonight."

"Oi! Out of my head!"

"But... he doesn't know me." Wakashi sounded confused. "He shouldn't even care."

"I don't know what Akaya did, but obviously you two have a connection that goes beyond just the blood bond... and by the way, I can't sever those."

Akaya blinked and stared up at Wakashi again with wide eyes. "We're bonded?"

Wakashi glared at Shishido. "Thanks, fucker. Why don't you just go ahead and tell him the whole bloody story! He's an idiot, remember? You'll just confuse him!"

Shishido snorted. "I'm giving him back his memory anyway, our deal is void."

"Wait a minute! You can't just do it!" The stupid human suddenly clutched Akaya close as if desperately trying to shield him. "Let's... talk about it first..."

"What is there to talk about?! For thirty years you've left him alone! Were you lying when you said you loved him? Because that's a pretty jackass thing to do."

"Um...guys...you know I'm right here right?"

They finally arrived at the eighth floor.

"You know I wasn't! I was doing it for him! How was I supposed to know you can flip a switch and turn his brain back?! Leaving was the best thing I could do for him and you know it!"

"I didn't erase anything, I locked it away! You really think I wouldn't put in a fail safe incase something happened? I didn't see your body, the only thing I ever found was your blood. If you were still alive you should have said something! Moron! You know how he feels about you, how could you think he'd be better without you?!"

"How many times do I have to tell you, you werewolf-fucking bastard! I didn't know! I loved him and didn't want him to waste his life on me!"

The door opened and Choutarou stood there with his hands on his hips and a look that said 'Get in the damn apartment or you're all fucked.' Well shit, he hated sleeping on the frickin couch. Shishido walked in and leaned against the table.

Akaya's teary wibbles filled the silence. "I have no idea what's going onnnnn..."

Apparently it didn't matter that it'd been thirty years, because Wakashi was suitably cringing and looking fearful of Choutarou. The magically living human barely had enough time to put Akaya down before his mate was hugging the life out of him.

"I can't believe you're alive..." Choutarou sniffled. "I thought... you were dead..."

Looking guilty, Wakashi hesitantly raised his arms to reciprocate the hug. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Choutarou.."

Damn straight, the kid better be sorry, Shishido thought as he watched them. The damn hunter boy had no idea how much pain he'd caused his mate, though Choutarou would never forgive him if he showed him. He set his attention on Akaya instead. It was finally time to put things right. "Akaya, come here." His body should have been healed enough by now to move on his own. Akaya stood up and came to him obediently.

"No! Wait!" Hiyoshi pulled away from Choutarou and ran over to Akaya, yanking him behind him as if to shield him. "Please... I'm not ready..."

Shishido rolled his eyes. The hunter should have thought about that before coming back into their lives. He looked up at his lover for his go ahead.

"It's okay... Ryou won't hurt me... He's my maker." Akaya tried to reassure him, still looking confused and practically nuzzling up to the hunter's back.

Choutarou came to his rescue. "Wakashi. It's time. Haven't both of you suffered enough?" his beautiful mate asked in a sad voice and then walked up to stand close to him. Shishido wrapped an arm around him, rubbing his back affectionately as he watched for the hunter to make a decision. Either way, he would end his child's suffering tonight.

The hunter's defenses lowered as his fists dropped, shaking at his sides. "Do it." His love's voice said gently in his ears.

"Keep Wakashi here, alright? I need to focus for a couple minutes." he murmured quietly, below human hearing, but knowing his werewolf lover could hear him. "Akaya." he spoke in a louder tone, gesturing for him to come to him again.

"Hey... it's okay..." Akaya gave Wakashi's hand a little squeeze before he joined him.

"No. It's not." Wakashi's voice was low, and void of emotion.

Shishido had just about enough of the dramatics. "Be ready to catch," he warned.

"Catch?"

He put a hand on Akaya's head and his child's eyes rolled back as he collapsed almost immediately. The hunter's eyes widened as he bolted forward to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Are you okay, Shishido-san?" his love's voice questioned worriedly. He could tell Choutarou was remembering how exhausted he'd been when he'd taken away the memories.

"Not done yet, beautiful." He sank down beside Akaya, sliding a hand into his hair and closing his eyes. It was a lot easier when the boy was unconscious.

Choutarou knelt down beside Ryou, placing a hand supportively but unobtrusively on his thigh, showing that he was there if he was needed. "Don't you dare leave." he said in warning tone to Wakashi, "This time I won't forgive you."

That was all Shishido had time to listen to, busy putting Akaya's head back together the way it should be. Preferably he wanted to finish before his child's mate hyperventilated and died again. It was just a matter of opening all of the mental doors he had closed to that part of his life, but it still took a lot of energy and concentration to accomplish. By the time he was done, all he could do was slump back against Choutarou's strong welcoming chest. "Done..."

"You're amazing." His mate held him gently and kissed his cheek.

Shishido smiled. He was the luckiest guy ever. "Only because I have you..."

"Ow... Wakashi...?"

They both stopped and looked over at the other pair. Akaya's eyes were staring at Wakashi's form with blinking eyes full of confusion, while Wakashi seemed to be trying to meld into a corner of the room, his entire body slumped into a fetal position on the floor.

"You remember everything, brat?" he asked gently, trying to let him come to terms with it.

"Yeah..."

Choutarou nuzzled against his ear and spoke to him in a quiet voice. "They have to do this themselves, whatever the outcome. We should get out of the way for now," he helped him up carefully. "We'll be in the bedroom," he told the rest of the room.

Shishido ruffled Akaya's hair before walking away, closing the door behind them.

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Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews. It makes me so happy that people are still reading and enjoying this series. To the one reviewer who asked, hopefully this chapter helped explain a bit about what happened to Choutarou. ^_^


	4. Chapter 4: Kirihara

CHAPTER 4

Akaya hurt. Life sucked. He remembered now. Wakashi... his Wakashi, had left him for thirty years. Ouch. He'd just jumped out of an eight story window and crushed every bone in his body, then he'd been ignored, and now his boyfriend whom he hadn't seen or remembered in forever was curled up in the corner of his living room, not even looking at him.

"You're mad at me...aren't you?" he asked pouting, still feeling a little overwhelmed and confused with everything that had just happened.

Wakashi's head whipped around toward him so fast that he thought his human might have gotten whiplash. There was a small pain in Akaya's neck now. Ow...

"What-You-No! Of course not... I...I can't deal with this... Fuck!"

Akaya wondered how his boyfriend managed to look so sexy even when he was yelling at him all wide-eyed like a crazy person in the corner.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Wakashi suddenly yelled across the room at him, eyes glaring death and destruction.

The confused vampire froze like a deer caught in the headlights. Wow... Wakashi had gotten even scarier since he last saw him, too. "Um... uh... So you still hungry? I have more food-yeah food. Or tea, tea is good."

His human picked himself up from the floor and began walking towards him menacingly. Was it bad that he sighed happily? It'd been so long since his mushroom glare at him like that.

"Are you really going to do this? Are WE really going to do this? Pretend like nothing is wrong and just have dinner?" Wakashi's stomach made a large rumbling sound. "Fuck."

Akaya, couldn't help it. He just started laughing. His Wakashi was back. That meant there would be no more hurting, no more weakness. He would make his human yummy food and they would make each other happy again. He walked over to where Wakashi had fallen back onto the carpet with hands covering his face, rubbing his eyes. Without a second thought, he leaned over and stole a quick kiss, not as mad he probably should be. This was partly his own fault.

He felt Wakashi's warm breath on his face and their eyes met. Akaya practically purred in happiness. His human inhaled deeply, and he hoped... Before he could even blink, he suddenly found himself grabbed roughly by the arms and was underneath his human in the span of his next exhale. Legs straddled him, and rough hands pinned him to the floor. Not quite up to speed yet, Akaya looked up at him, a bit disoriented from the quick motion, then smiled. "Did you miss me?"

Choked words stumbled past his human's lips, but nothing that made any sense. Then their lips were pressed firmly together, Akaya's head pushed back against the floor. He moaned loudly and tried to lean up into it, kissing him back desperately. He loved him so much, and god it felt so good to feel him and smell him again.

His mushroom's hands were all over him, making his body tingle and come alive in a way it hadn't in decades. Down his chest, his sides, over his hips and then up under his shirt, as if he wouldn't be able to stop until he'd felt every part of him. Once Akaya's hands were released, they were buried in familiar wheaten strands, deepening the kiss even more. Those loud, needy moans his boyfriend was making shocked him and were wreaking havoc on his starving mind and body. He was so glad Wakashi hadn't staked him or something.

"I missed you... more than I need to breathe." He could feel the weight of those words as they were said and breathed hotly against his lips. "How do you not hate me?"

Did they have to talk about this now? "Cause... uh... I have reasons..." his voice was husky from lust and he needed his boyfriend to kiss him again like that right now.

Brown eyes narrowed and he knew he was in trouble. Wakashi had that crazy person gleam in his eyes again. "Akaya... What did you do?"

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. "I-I just uh-I promise I just did it to protect you!" He tried helpfully.

"Yeah, I got that part." His sexy but very scary boyfriend rolled his eyes. "You know... for the last thirty years or so, I've been capturing and interrogating vampires. I'd like to think I've become rather knowledgeable in the realm of torturing the undead. Perhaps I should show you what I've learned."

This was the part where Akaya was supposed to try and run, right? But Wakashi's firm hold on his curls forced his head back and he found he was still pretty well pinned to the floor. The whole breaking every bone in his body thing earlier left him weakened and well, not getting nourishment for thirty years didn't help either. He was pretty much at his mushroom's mercy. "W-wakashi..."

The door to the bedroom opened and Shishido stuck his head out. "Choutarou sent me to check on... Oh for the love of..."

"Go away werewolf fucker, we're busy." Wakashi didn't even bother to turn his head. "You were saying? Don't make me take out the chains. They're silver and spiky."

Akaya didn't know what to think. His sexy boyfriend who he loved very much said that with a little bit too much excitement. He hoped his maker might save him, but…

"They're fine." The door closed again with a note of finality.

He was screwed. Akaya shuddered and let out a loud whimper. "I... I had a witch... place a spell on us..."

"That's a good Akaya..." There was a ripping sound as Akaya's shirt came open, and then there was somehow a silver knife in his boyfriend's hand, held up purposefully for him to see. Okay, now he was scared, but he still moaned softly when Wakashi nuzzled against him and bit his ear. "Continue."

"You... You can't die... unless I do..." he said huskily, trying to move his hips up to meet his boyfriend's. Yeah, so his boyfriend was scary, but he was also badass sexy and was making him horny.

Wakashi raised an eyebrow down at him. "I see..." The silver blade gently met his skin, burning a red line down his chest. "What else?"

Akaya moaned louder, watching him with eyes turned red, fangs out in full force. "A..and...in return...I...I can't feed from anyone but you...and..I feel your pain..."

"Bastard."

The harsh word broke Akaya out of his lustful haze. Wakashi... his Wakashi... It looked like he couldn't decide between killing him or crying. He winced as the silver knife nicked him, drawing blood over his heart. Then the knife was brought up high, the shine of it glinted in the light, and for one horrific moment he thought... And then it came crashing down, impaling the floor beside his neck.

"Bastard."

Akaya tensed. That had been too close for comfort. "Wakashi... please... don't be mad." he begged. "You know I did it because I love you with all my heart."

"It's been thirty years, idiot. I've changed." He could hear his boyfriend's heart hammering in his chest as if it were his own. "Creatures of the night fear the name Hiyoshi again. You shouldn't love me. You should fear me."

He thought that Wakashi maybe might have kinda snapped, but he could work with that. "I will always love you," he murmured softly, "and I won't ever fear you... because I... I wouldn't mind being killed by you." He never had.

His human chuckled. "That doesn't make any sense, idiot." Then he was left alone on the floor as Wakashi got up and walked away. He laid there and watched as his Wakashi sat back down at the table to eat the rest of his food.

"Do you hate me?"

"Yes."

Akaya's eyes widened, and he felt his heart break and shatter in his chest. Why hadn't Wakashi just killed him before? Why make him suffer all those years without him if he was just going to hate him and leave him now? "Then just kill me and get it over with. You won't die when I do... but you'll be able to." He didn't want to die particularly, but continuing to live without Wakashi was pointless.

"If I could do that, then you'd already be dead." His human stuffed his mouth full, looking like he was in heaven while Akaya was sure he'd just descended into hell. "I could never kill you."

"Then give me a stake."

Wakashi wiped his mouth clean after cleaning his plate then stood back up again. "Oh no. You're not getting off that easy." He approached him again, reaching down to forcibly bring him to his feet. Akaya didn't have the energy or will to fight against him. "You made me live even when I desperately wanted to die. That doesn't seem fair. Do you want to leave me now?" He placed his hand against Akaya's dead heart. "I'll warn you. If you say yes, I'll stake you right now before turning it on myself. I thought I already made it very clear that I refuse live another day without you."

"No, but...if you don't want me around... I...there is no reason for me to stay alive. It hurt a lot, ya know. Not having you around. I didn't know why-but... it did." Strong arms came around him and pulled him against a warm and solid chest. Being in these arms again soothed Akaya like nothing else.

"Quiet. I don't need you to tell me. I know." The weight of Wakashi's head landed on his shoulder. "I missed you so much. I love you much more than I could ever hate you. But... Being away... All the things I've done. I think I'm insane, Akaya. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm doing." He was shaking, clinging to him. "Please don't die unless you intend to take me with you."

Akaya held him close, relaxing despite his words. "Yeah, you might be insane, but that's ok cause, well, I think ya kinda haveta be to be datin' a vampire, don't ya think?" He smiled a bit.

His human's answering laugh still had some hints of crazy in it, and it was rough, like... his body had just discovered how to laugh again. "You'll take me back then?"

His mushroom really had gone crazy if he was asking him stupid questions like that. "I haven't been with anyone else. I've always been and will always be yours... Damn Mushroom."

All at once, Wakashi's weight collapsed against him, but Akaya was more than up to the task of holding his weight. Picking him up, he carried him over to the couch and lay down with him in his arms. Soon, his human's breathing was already beginning to even out. He felt so comfortable and strong, feeling truly full and happy for the first time in years.

Leaning to down to nuzzle his human's neck, he fell asleep exhausted within moments. Everything was going to be okay.

* * *

Author's note: Thank for the reviews! I hope everyone had an awesome holiday and happy New Years!

* * *

Later, when the other two poked their heads out...

"Awww~! They're so cute, Ryou!"

"That mean we can go home now?"


	5. Chapter 5: Hiyoshi

CHAPTER 5

Hiyoshi looked at the knife, then at the cutting board, then finally at the vegetables. Okay, he could do this. Akaya wasn't awake yet, so maybe he could get away with it. He hadn't attempted cooking since... Actually, he better not go there. In any case, he wanted to make something edible so he could show Akaya that he was capable of taking care of himself just fine. He realized now that cooking probably hadn't been the best choice. At least soup was supposed to be easy. You just toss everything you like into boiling water, right? "Ow, fuck. Ow, damn it!" The boiling water splattered on him as he added the ingredients.

"What the hell?" Akaya walked into the kitchen a few minutes later rubbing his eyes, nose scrunched up as if smelling something fowl.

Hiyoshi tensed. It was only their third night officially back together and it still surprised him every time Akaya walked into the room. Distracted from the stove, the water boiled over and splashed onto his hand. "FUCK!"

"Shit!" Akaya yelped along with him and rubbed his hand a little. Hiyoshi turned around to his smoking pot of soup and moved it off the burner as Akaya quickly turned off the stove. His vampire eyed the soup, looked to him, then back to the soup.

Hiyoshi blushed all the way up to his hairline, then glared. "Whatever." Angry and frustrated, he grabbed the hot pan with his bare hands and threw the whole thing into the sink.

"Would you stop doing that! It hurts like hell!" His boyfriend yelled at him, blowing on his hands as if he were the one scalded. For some reason, this really pissed Hiyoshi off. It was Akaya's own fault that he felt his pain. Fuck this, he never should have tried in the first place.

He slammed the door in the vampire's face on his way out of the apartment, needing some air. After that first night, things had been tense and awkward between them. Hiyoshi wasn't used to being in the same place for this long anymore, being somewhere he called home, having meals cooked for him. His body was itching for a fight, the food that was delicious made him feel sick. He didn't know what to say to Akaya, or even how to touch him, scared he'd somehow hurt him. He'd been doing his best just trying not to kill himself constantly like usual. Like it or not, Akaya had devised the perfect plan to keep him alive.

After wandering the city for a while, looking for clues of anything he could hunt and kill, he eventually calmed down enough to go back to the apartment. Maybe he needed to go on a short hunting trip. Killing things always made him feel better. Maybe Akaya would be willing to go with him and wait in the motel as his red-head had done now and then. He doubted it.

When he walked back into the apartment, the first thing he noticed was that Akaya wasn't there, the second was that there was still a mess in the kitchen. Feeling guilty now for the way he'd acted, he cleaned it up then went to go sit on the couch to wait for his boyfriend to come back. Being back was both heaven and hell. It felt like heaven every time he saw Akaya, but anything past that was hell. Pessimistically, he wondered how long they could keep this up for. It had been thirty years since they'd been together, they had both changed, and neither of them knew how to act around the other anymore.

There was a sinking feeling in his gut that Akaya was going to eventually give up him and change his mind about wanting him back unless he did something about it soon. Slowly, he reached up and played with silver cuff on his ear that he hadn't taken off in thirty years. Of course, there was the most obvious way of how they could connect again. The thought of removing his most powerful shield from the supernatural world scared him, but the possibility of losing Akaya again scared him more. Why then did he still hesitate?

Looking up at the time, he grew tired of waiting for Akaya to come back. He closed his book and practically ran for the door to go find him, but froze mid step when it opened, and Akaya stood in the doorway holding a load of groceries in each hand.

"Hi," the words slipped out lamely.

"Hi."

"Um... May I help you with those?" Hiyoshi indicated toward the bags.

"I got it. You don't haveta-"

Hiyoshi grabbed a bag from him anyway before he had a chance to finish that sentence. He knew Akaya didn't need his help, but he wanted to. He didn't know what else to say or do. An awkward silence followed as they put the groceries away together, with Hiyoshi putting them wherever he thought they went and Akaya silently moving them again to where he wanted them.

"How does steak sound for dinner? Sorry, it's so late..." Akaya's usually carefree tone sounded strained and forced.

The growing distance between them was obvious, and Hiyoshi's own patience was wearing thin. He approached Akaya from behind as he finished stocking the pantry and wrapped his arms around his middle, like he used to do while Akaya was cooking. He squeezed lightly and placed a hesitant kiss on the back of his neck. Akaya's form relaxed in his arms almost immediately, and it gave him hope.

"I'm sorry for yelling earlier," Akaya murmured quietly.

"I'll try harder," Hiyoshi promised, to both Akaya and himself. "I know who I am now is not who you want, but please don't give up on me yet." He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "If it ever becomes too hard... I'll find a way to release you from me. I swear. I'll find a way so that you can be happy."

"Stupid Mushroom. I won't ever give up on you. How many times do I gotta tell ya? I love you, Wakashi. I don't want you to give up on me either and leave again..."

Hiyoshi wanted to believe him, he really did, but how could Akaya say that with how things were going. It was like being desperate for something, then having it dangled right in front of you, only to find out you have no idea how to take it. "If there is anything I know for certain, it's that if I were to leave you again, it won't be by my choice." Maybe after dinner they could just try and talk. Why did such simple things that used to come so naturally now seem so difficult?

"Just for a little bit... would you take that thing off? Please?"

Damn it. Apparently Akaya had been thinking along the same lines as he had been earlier. His cuffs were his shield. His one advantage against those supernatural creatures with the ability to use his own mind against him. Whatsmore, what if Akaya gained access to his emotions again, and didn't like what was there? He wasn't ready. "Not right now," he responded softly. "It's too dangerous, but... I'll see what I can do."

"Okay." The answer came quickly, but with a note of obvious disappointment, as if he'd expected it. Hiyoshi wasn't the only one who'd changed. Where was his annoying idiot who never took no for an answer? Who would bug him relentlessly and be a pain in his ass until he got exactly what he wanted.

The slightly shorter vampire moved forward out of his arms and began getting together what he needed to make dinner. Hiyoshi didn't try to stop him or say anything else. Instead, he moved to the side, watching Akaya cook and trying to think of a solution. "Do you have any idea what happened to my family home?"

"No, probably Ryou owns it... or something."

Hiyoshi wondered on that. For a few years he'd spared a thought now and then for the house that used to mean so much to him. Perhaps a new family was living there now, or maybe Choutarou had decided to keep it. He was sentimental like that. Whatever the case, his family home was protected against supernatural invasion unless invited. He would be able to take his cuffs off there without worry. He wondered if he'd get up the courage to go back there. There was something he he needed to do first though before he tried.

"If you don't have any plans tomorrow evening, I was wondering if you would visit my family's burial grounds with me." Shit, even when trying to reach out and be normal, he still somehow ended up sounding morbid.

Akaya looked at him and blinked in cute Akaya-like fashion. "I'm free. I don't work right now... I'd like to go."

It was a start. Maybe being in the presence of his family again, even just their mortuary stones, and finally introducing Akaya to them would help build the trust between them again. "That smells great," he added, as Akaya dished up the food onto a plate and brought it over to the table. Hiyoshi sat down dutifully, his mouth already watering. Akaya smiled at him and it lifted his spirits. He'd forgotten how much better just one of those smiled made him feel.

"Figured you hadn't been eating right without me..."

Hiyoshi almost frowned, not wanting to remember his umpteenth cooking tragedy earlier, but then forced himself to breath in delicious scent of food instead. "Guess it's only fair." Apparently anything that wasn't him tasted like shit to his vampire boyfriend. A possessive part of him admitted that he kinda liked that. He didn't hold back as he dug into his food. The meat was perfect, and the accompanying rice and vegetables were delicious. How the hell did Akaya make food this perfect? He ate in silence, enjoying every tender bite, until he brought up the most obvious follow up topic that had not been broached since three days ago when he'd first returned. "I suppose you're hungry."

Akaya rubbed the back his neck and looked away, nodding a little. Hiyoshi was surprised Akaya had lasted this long without jumping him, or at least asking. Then again, after that first night, all the awkwardness and hesitation had kept them from doing much more than trying not to snap at each other and random needy hugs. Or maybe it was all Hiyoshi's own fault for not offering and making Akaya feel comfortable around him again. The least he could do was feed him. He'd been feeding his little sidekick regularly for five years now; he was used to it. "After I finish eating, okay? Have as much as you want. Not like you can kill me." He'd already tried that.

"Okay... Thanks."

This was why he was frustrated. Akaya was obviously walking on eggshells around him. His gluttonous boyfriend would have been pawing at him by now, never letting him have a moments peace, always getting in the way and doing whatever he wanted. For the remainder of the dinner, they both sat there silently, again in that awkward silence. Even after he was done, he continued to just sit there as Akaya took his plate and went to clean the dishes. Eventually he sighed and stood. "Come on, pain in the ass, lets get you fed." He grumbled.

Akaya's grinning, excited face was in front of his a split second later, nearly making Hiyoshi stumble backwards in surprise. For a quick moment, Hiyoshi saw his gluttonous, spoiled, demanding boyfriend again, and nothing could make him happier. "I have one request before you have at it." He pulled his shirt up and off and tossed it to the side on his way to the couch.

"What?" Eager green eyes roamed over him hungrily.

Hiyoshi twitched. He felt like that piece of meat he'd just devoured, and didn't really like the comparison. He held his head up high. He was better than a piece of meat, damn it. Crossing his arms over his chest, and with a bit of attitude, he commented. "Hmph, I was going to ask you to kiss me first, but since you're so eager..."

Akaya laughed and tackled him back onto the couch, their lips meeting in hard and hungry kisses and Hiyoshi's frustration flew out the black-out, curtain covered window. He leaned up into the kiss, smiling and holding the cool body close. He didn't think he could possibly be happier than when Akaya was laughing and kissing him.

Akaya's body pressed against him and cold fingers slid up Hiyoshi's sides and around him. He shivered at the touch and chased Akaya's lips wherever they parted, his hand tangling webs of air, body already unwittingly sliding up against his love's and reacting to every provocation.

"Wakashi..." Akaya murmured his name softly and began to grind against him slowly.

Hiyoshi moaned his love's name in response. Tongues met hotly before he searched out one of Akaya's fangs, remembering how much his vampire used to love that. He rolled his tongue over a the sharp edge, slowly creating a small incision along his tongue, and giving Akaya a treat. "Dinner's ready," he whispered against hungry lips with a grin.

His vampire whimpered weakly, and sucked on his tongue ravenously, before moving down to kiss and suck at his neck. Hiyoshi arched under him and let out a low groan as Akaya sunk his fangs into his neck with a pleased moan.

"Mm... I love you." Hiyoshi shuddered as his eyes closed tightly. He'd missed this, feeling so close and the complete trust and surrender of himself to his lover. He laughed when he noticed Akaya was trying to get his pants off as he drank greedily. Lifting his hips to help, he reached for Akaya's pants as well, moaning as his erection was freed. "Careful you don't kill me, dear," he teased. "Though I suppose I have nothing against you fucking my corpse." That would be something interesting to come back to life to.

Akaya pulled away laughing and licked over his neck. "Mm... You're the one with a thing for a dead/undead guy."

Hiyoshi didn't have time to respond, instead he moaned as Akaya's hand took hold of his aching erection and stroked him slowly. Their lips met for another needy kiss. He reached for Akaya's length and shuddered again. "I want this inside me, now," he demanded.

Akaya gasped and smiled at him. "Yes, sir."

Hiyoshi's head fell back against the couch and his heartbeat quickened as he watched Akaya get into position above him, then slowly, and rather torturously, began to enter him. "Fuck." He gripped Akaya's forearms tightly, going mad at this forgotten feeling. Akaya had him firmly by the hips, his weight back on his knees as he started to thrust deep and slow inside him.

Eyes at half mast, he unabashedly spread his legs wide, already lost in the pleasure and pain. It having been... too long since anything of this nature had happened. The only person he'd ever given himself completely over to was Akaya. He strained to keep his eyes open, not wanting to lose the sight of him, but it was difficult when each thrust made a ripple of pleasure go up his spine and straight to his head.

"Akaya... I'm sorry... I... Akaya... touch me..." he found himself repeating over and over, until his vampire stole his breath again by kissing him.

"W-wakashi...you're mine-don't ever forget... ok?" Akaya wrapped his hand around him, heightening his pleasure, growling his name huskily.

Hiyoshi could only nod, not quite up to speaking the words when his brain was only half listening. Blinding pleasure caught him by surprise and he groaned loudly as he came hard in his lover's arms. The small smile couldn't be wiped from his face even as his eyes barely started to focus again, still solely on his vampire.

Akaya collapsed on top of him a moment later, panting softly and nuzzling him. "Mm..."

Hardly able to move, Hiyoshi reached up weakly to wrap his arms around him, holding him close to his chest and kissing his hair, or whatever area was near. "Yeah... I'd say that was a pretty good reason for coming back," his voice was breathless, feeling better than he had in years. "Mm... the lobster was good, too..."

Akaya laughed. "I knew it... You just want to use me for sex and food."

"Isn't that why you want me around?" Hiyoshi teased back. Whoever said that sex was theraputic was onto something.

"Mm, well that and you're pretty damn nice eye candy. Though I could do without the burned food smell."

Hiyoshi grumbled about stupid stoves not working right and cuddled him closer, not nearly as annoyed by the whole thing as he'd been earlier. "Fine. I'll leave the cooking to you. Just kiss me again."

He did.

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews! And to those of you who've asked, don't think I've forgotten about the other characters. They will all be reappearing in their own time. Promise.


	6. Chapter 6: Kirihara

CHAPTER 6

Akaya woke slowly as the sun finally set, feeling warm, happy, and truly full for the first time in years. Yawning wide, he nuzzled up to the warm body under him. Wakashi had been waking up and getting out of bed before him every night, but today he was still there. After basically being dumped for thirty years, the already once abandoned vampire was pretty damn nervous about it happening again.

Closing his eyes again, he inhaled his human's scent and just relaxed again. He made a little happy noise when Wakashi began to move beneath him and stroke his hair. Smiling softly, he nuzzled his human's neck and nipped at it.

"Don't start that again." His human said in a sexy, low, just-waking-up voice, before rolling them over, pinning Akaya on his back. "I have plans for us tonight."

"Ngh..." he purred and arched up against the warm body on top of him. "Plans? What kind of plans?" He really hoped that plan was another night of fucking and snuggling. He'd been repressed for thirty years, he was allowed to be extra horny without being judged. Mm... and now his human was kissing him again, warm hands and hot lips started at Akaya's lips and made their way to his abdomen and hips.

"You're meeting my family today."

"Mm... Yeah, awesome, good... mm... I can't wai-Ah!" A hot mouth swallowed his cock. "Okay...Maybe I can wait a bit..mm..." He moaned and writhed under him, crying his human's name again and again until he came. "Mm..." Having Wakashi back was really nice.

Before getting out of bed, Akaya was more than happy to return the favor, then they spent a while cuddling. It was nice. He was happy. He was definitely ready for the day now.

Wakashi was the first to get up and wash up. In the past, Akaya would have followed his human into the bathroom, but he'd been trying to be good and give him some space. If it meant a happy, no-crazy-killer-hunter Wakashi, he could learn to give him some alone time.

"I'm going out. Be back soon." Wakashi said to him from the other room while Akaya was taking his turn in the bathroom.

Akaya quickly put on a pair of jeans and ran out into the living room. "Eh? Why? I was going to make breakfast..."

His human hesitated, and Akaya thought he might try to hide something from him again or maybe yell at him.

"My head is killing me. If I don't have coffee now, I'm going to start killing things."

Akaya blinked. "Ok, see ya in a bit then." Killing things was bad.

Wakashi nodded then headed out the door. Akaya watched him, very confused. Since when did Wakashi drink coffee? Oh well. He went to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast for when he got back, then pulled on a shirt and flopped down in front of the TV.

The sudden pain hit him like a sledgehammer to the face. "AH!" He recoiled, curling up into a ball on the couch. What the hell kind of coffee did his human drink? This had happened so many times in the past, nearly everyday, sometimes more than once. He'd be doing the most mundane of things, maybe just walking across the street, and then suddenly an arm or a leg would feel like it was on fire, or like he'd been stabbed clean through.

The fact that he knew where the pain was coming from now only made it worse. There was nothing he could do. If he went after Wakashi, he'd probably only make him mad. If Wakashi were really in trouble... His eyes started to tear up and he curled into a ball again, his imagination running wild with ideas of what his human could be facing. At least he couldn't die... That was the whole point of why he did this, right?

The door opened and his human walked in not long after, looking exactly the same as when he'd left, except he was now holding his cup of coffee and a newspaper.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" Akaya yelled at him, all of the pent up anxiety and fear coming out.

An eyebrow raised at him. "Oh, yeah." He sipped at his coffee. "Sorry about that." He sat down at the table and began reading through the newspaper as if nothing was wrong.

Akaya wanted to yell at him and demand to know what the hell had happened. Instead, he pointed to the counter where his breakfast was waiting for him. "Food. Eat it."

Wakashi looked up from his paper, then at the food. "Oh... You didn't have to do that. Coffee is good enough for the morning." He went back to reading his paper.

"I don't care. Eat it."

His human's eyes narrowed. "Are you commanding me?" his voice clearly warned not to push.

Akaya quieted down again and just focused back on the TV. "Whatever..." he mumbled, closing in on himself again, warning himself not to feel as comfortable with Wakashi as he used to.

"If you have something to say, then say it, idiot. I don't remember you being a coward."

"I don't remember you being this much of a jerk," he grumbled under his breath. He turned off the TV and let his head fall back. "You're different. When you used to threaten me, I knew you'd never go through with it because you loved me, but now... now I don't know anything about you. About what you're thinking, nothing."

Wakashi rolled his eyes and placed his coffee and paper to the side. "Is this about the cuff again? You realize that most people in relationships don't have the option of being "connected" and feeling each other's emotions, right?" His human's tone was dark and bitter. "I've been on the road, suicidal, killing things and being killed, non-stop for the last thirty years with no idea why I couldn't die. Did you think I'd be exactly the same?"

If Wakashi wanted a pity party, he was barking up the wrong tree. "Did you think I would? I know how many times you've been hurt and killed, cause I felt them every time!" He'd been so excited about today, but now he just wanted to crawl back into bed.

"Are you blaming me for that? It wasn't my idea to have you take on my pain. I thought I would never get you back. I didn't care at that point whether I live or died. Don't blame me for something I had no knowledge of when it's your fault."

"You knew where I was yet you left me for 30 years Wakashi! Not only that but you left me without my memories, for THIRTY FUCKING YEARS! If you'd just come and fucking talked to me we could have figured things out and none of this would have happened!" Throat tight, he could feel tears of blood welling up as he began letting go of everything that had built up since he got his memories back.

Wakashi slammed his fists on the table and stood, face red as voice raised. "I didn't know you could get them back! Do you think I wanted to live without you?! It was done. The deal was complete. I left to become stronger without the risk of getting you killed! I had no idea what you had done because you didn't tell me!"

"You have no fucking right getting mad at me, Mr. Let's just erase my boyfriend's memories!" Why were they yelling at each other? Today had started out so well. He was sick of hurting though. He was done holding all this in so he didn't make Wakashi mad. "Who the fuck gave you the right to decide what memories I have or don't have, huh?! You don't even let me feel you and we're bonded, yet you think it's just fine to fuck with my head by making my maker blood swear!?"

"I was trying to protect you! It was only supposed to happen after I died! That way you wouldn't have to mourn me! At least you didn't have to know what you were missing! It was maddening. Knowing you were still out there... that I loved you, thought about you and wanted you every damn day... but you couldn't even remember my name!"

"It wasn't your right to take that away from me!"

"And it wasn't yours to determine whether I lived or died!"

"FINE! If you want to die so much then give me a fucking stake or a knife and I'll take care of it myself. I'll undo what I did and you can go back to the life you chose!"

The yelling stopped. There was a momentary silence in the room. Akaya was fuming. He couldn't remember the last time he was so pissed off and... he wanted to walk out, but he couldn't. Too afraid that if he did, when he got back Wakashi would be gone. But he didn't regret a word of what was said. It was all true and it needed to come out.

He watched as his human seemed to deflate, collapsing back down on the dining room chair and covering his face tiredly. "Stop saying that. You know damn well that I don't want you to die. Not unless you plan on taking me with you."

"Then stop treating me like you don't give a shit that I'm here and that I love you! Nothing has changed for me, so at least try to understand that and stop being a dick! I love you just as much as I did the day you disappeared... and all I want is for us to be happy and together again."

"I want that too, and I'm doing my best. In case you haven't noticed, this isn't easy for me either. I might have changed, but I never stopped loving you. If you can't see that... If that's not good enough for you, then fuck you." Wakashi stood and went toward the bedroom, his hand reached for the doorknob and Akaya could see it shaking. Once his hand steadied itself on the knob he spoke again in a much more defeated tone. "The Wakashi you know died thirty years ago. He died first from his own stupidity in battle, and then again when he thought he'd never be with his idiot again."

It was true. Wakashi had changed, seemingly for him over night, and he had no idea how to fix it. "Then what do we do? How do we make this work?" Akaya asked desperately.

"I don't know." His boyfriend sounded just as defeated as Akaya felt.

"I love you so much, Wakashi... I would do anything to make you happy, anything..." He really would. He'd do anything to get his human back that he loved so much. They both still loved each other. Why couldn't this somehow be simpler?

Wakashi's back hit the bedroom door with a thud. "I haven't been happy in a long time. I don't remember how." He sighed. "But being with you helps. I just need you to be... you."

Akaya looked at him confused. Being himself hadn't been working at all. Except, he hadn't exactly been himself. He'd changed too since Wakashi had left, or maybe he hadn't, who the hell knew? He wasn't good at this deep inner contemplation crap.

Walking over, he pressed himself up against Wakashi, softly touching their noses together. "Then I'll be me. I'll just annoy the crap out of you like I always do, okay?" He slid his hands over Wakashi's hips. "But.. at some point I want you to pin me down and molest me like ya did when you wanted to know what I'd done... sound good?" That was sexy.

Wakashi's eyes popped back open and looked at him in surprise. Surprise then eventually turned into the beginnings of a smile. His human's chin dropped down to catch his lips in a kiss that held on for a long moment. "I'd like that." Wakashi's large strong hands grabbed a handful of his ass and brought him hard up against him. "Both of those things. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Akaya moaned and melted against him. This was much better. If Wakashi wanted him to stop worrying and just be himself, he could do that. "Feed me everyday."

Wakashi chuckled and picked him up, backing them into the bedroom. "Don't worry, I'll feed you. As long as you deserve it."

Akaya grinned. "I've been good, I prom-Ack!" He landed on his back on the bed, and looked up to find his human looking down at him with hungry, lustful eyes, unbuttoning his shirt. He gulped. "I totally deserve it."

"Oh?" His ultra sexy, scary human took hold of his knees and spread them, joining him on the bed, kneeling between his legs. Akaya watched with anticipation as Wakashi's fingers moved toward the front of his pants, but he didn't undo them. Instead, he just outlined Akaya's obviously hardened cock with his thumb. "What have you done to deserve it?"

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. "Um... uhh... I love you?"

His human laughed low and gutterly, his thumb briefly running up the center of where Akaya's trapped erection was screaming loudly at him to be set free. "I love you, too. Try again."

Akaya squirmed beneath him, trying to press up more against those fingers. "I..I... didn't feed from anyone else!" That was a good one! His sexy boyfriend was totally going to screw him into the mattress.

"Wasn't that part of the deal you made with the witch?"

Damn it! Uhh... "I didn't sleep with anyone while we were apart..."

To Akaya's complete dismay, sexy fingers stopped moving. "Are you lying to me?"

"Of course not." He looked up at his human in confusion, pouting. "I tried a couple times, but it just felt wrong, so I stopped trying." There had been a few people then and there who'd hit on him and he might have done it... but when it came down to it, he just couldn't get interested. His body had been too weak for it to be any good anyway.

Wakashi was giving him another one of those looks. The one he now knew meant his human couldn't decide if he should tell him something or not. "Wakashiiii~!" he whined annoyingly. "What is it? Tell me!" There. He wasn't backing down anymore!

"I fucked someone... three years ago."

At first Akaya wasn't sure if he'd heard him right, it had been whispered so quietly. His body tensed as the words sunk in. "W...what? You..." but Wakashi didn't say anything else, just stayed kneeling in front of him. No excuse, no explanation. Akaya saw red as his eyes changed and he let out an angry inhuman sound. "Bastard. Was it a human?"

"No."

"V...vampire?" He didn't really want to know the answer, but he had to find out. He needed to know.

"Yes." Wakashi stood from the bed and took a step away from him, answering him in that cold blunt tone.

Akaya closed his eyes, trying to keep the bloody tears back. "You... let him feed from you?"

There was a pause that time, and Akaya hoped...

"Yes."

Blank white rage consumed him, his human had betrayed him. He didn't even know he'd moved until his human's kick had him flying back onto the bed. Silver chains cuffed his wrists and chained him to the bed, but the searing pain didn't register. His eyes glowed red and his fangs showed viciously. "Y..you son of a bitch! You say you hate vampires... That you're a hunter... and yet you..." He growled and tugged violently at the chains.

His human's face appeared in front of his, calm as always, holding him down. "Calm down... It's okay. I love you. I've only ever loved you."

"Did you tell him you loved him too? Where is he now, huh? Sitting around, waiting for you to come back? I'm going to rip off that fucking ear cuff and destroy it, then everyone will know that you're mine, that you're not to be touched!" Oh god... why hadn't Wakashi just killed him.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't like that.. If I untie you, will you attack me again?"

The pain was excruciating, but it wasn't the silver chains that hurt the worst. "Just leave them on. It doesn't hurt that bad..." compared to how much he was hurting inside.

"Now you're lying."

"You're not still seeing him, are you...?"

Wakashi shook his head. "No. He's my friend,"

Akaya growled. "I'm going to kill him." Unless he was an ancient, then well... he'd be fucked.

Wakashi had been reaching for the chains to release him, but stopped and glared down at him with clear warning in his eyes. "No, you won't."

"Yes, I will. I'll challenge him and I'll kill him." Wakashi was his. Whoever this other vampire guy was, he'd kill him. Was that the reason it took so long for Wakashi to come back to him? Was that why he was acting so cold toward him?

"No. You won't." His human's voice was low and terrifying, like it had been the other night when they'd first found each other again. A handful of his hair forced his head back, and Akaya found himself staring, terrified, into the deadly look of a hunter. "You kill him and I may never forgive you." Something sharp was at his wrist, burning next to the chains, but nothing was as scary as the look in his love's eyes. "You even threaten him again and I guarantee... I can still love you... even if you're missing a limb."

Akaya shuddered and fell silent, holding perfectly still. Wakashi had snapped. Finally, he spoke in a low voice, his earlier thoughts be damned. "Get off me and let me go. I'm going for a walk."


	7. Chapter 7: Hiyoshi

CHAPTER 7

3 Years Ago

It was dark out that night. Even the moon and stars were hidden by clouds. The rain fell loudly outside the closed door of the hotel, warning the hunter to be wary of his little sidekick and current roommate. He was now second guessing the decision not to go out tonight.

Gakuto hated the rain. It always brought up unpleasant memories for the kid, or so he'd been told. It caused him to be even needier than usual, and therefore, even more annoying. Though honestly, Hiyoshi didn't much care. Everything reminded him of the unpleasant, and he was used to Gakuto's neediness.

"Piyo-chaaaaan!" The annoying sound rang out like nails on a chalkboard, competing with the rumbles of thunder. "I'm hungry!"

The hunter sighed and rubbed at his eyes. His pet was so needy. "Then go find someone to eat." He was busy doing research on a... damn it, how was he supposed to kill it if he couldn't even pronounce it? "Just remember not to kill them, or I'll have to kill you."

"Just cause'a that one time..." The redheaded vampire grumbled loudly and started jumping on the bed.

Bounce, bounce, bounce. Hiyoshi clenched his jaw. Bounce, bounce, bounce. He growled out a warning of imminent death. Bounce, bounce, bounce. His pencil snapped in half. Bounce, bounce, bounce.

"WOULD YOU SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET BEFORE I EMBED THIS IN YOUR CHEST!"

The devil smiled at him smugly. "Feed me."

Ugh. The hunter stood up and made his way over to the bed. At least feeding him would shut him up. He realized that sometimes their roles as pet and master could easily be misunderstood by an outside party.

The minute he was on the bed, Gakuto jumped into his lap like a child looking for affection from its mother. Hiyoshi held him loosely and petted his hair. It was long and fine, similar to his, nothing at all like... He let out a deep breath and removed the thought.

Small fangs sank into his neck and drank hungrily. Hiyoshi didn't even flinch. He waited patiently for Gakuto to finish, while trying to ignore the natural high it put him on. It would be so easy to just close his eyes and imagine... Imagine someone else. Imagine... It was getting harder every day.

"I'm horny."

One of the hunter's eyes peaked back open, though he didn't remember closing them. "Good for you."

"Wanna fuck?" Red glowing eyes blinked at him in the dim light. Yes, that was why he couldn't abandon him. That's why he couldn't have left him there to rot on forgotten streets. Those red eyes reminded him of all he had lost, what he had given up.

Hiyoshi swallowed hard, his breath suddenly hard to catch. He couldn't help it, he was only human, and those eyes reminded him so much of his love. His body ached with the longing of how much he wanted to hold him again, to feel their connection complete him. No... This wasn't him. This wasn't his love.

"Come on! You don't always have to be such a prude."

Yes, he did.

"I know! You can pretend I'm... the guy you say in your sleep sometimes. What's his name? Akaya? Yeah."

That was disgusting. Gakuto turned the light out, casting the room in complete darkness. A cold body pressed close up against his, red eyes peering at him in the dark. He gasped and arched his back when fangs bit down lightly on his chest. He couldn't let this happen... He couldn't...

Clothes were torn and bodies met. In his mind, all he could see was green and red eyes, and wild black curls. Hiyoshi's mind was a mess of longing and desperation as he pinned Akaya to the bed and fucked him so hard that the bed was nearly destroyed. He would deal with his regret and guilt in the morning. Right now, he needed this. He needed to be able to feel again, even just for one night. Needed to be reminded of his love that he let go, that he could never get back, but would never forget.

::::::::::::::::::::

3 Years Later

"Get off of me and let me go. I'm going to go for a walk."

Hiyoshi's eyes widened as he realized what he was doing and backed off immediately. He didn't know what just came over him. Very quickly he removed the chains, but didn't move off Akaya, staying high on alert. He shouldn't have said that, he knew he shouldn't have said that, so why did he? Akaya had threatened Gakuto. In that moment, that was all that had mattered.

"Either give me blood or get off me." His love's voice was calm and composed, which scared him. Akaya was never calm and composed, even when he wasn't upset with him.

Considering his options, Hiyoshi finally tilted his head to the side in offering. If Akaya wanted to drink him dry as a way of getting back at him, then so be it. His vampire still needed blood to heal, especially after he'd just been chained with silver. What the hell had he been thinking? This was Akaya! He closed his eyes and submitted himself to Akaya's wishes.

Familiar fangs bit down gently on his neck, drinking slowly, but not too much. Not even enough for Hiyoshi to feel drowsy. A cold hand reached up and touched the silver cuffs on his ear, surprising him. Hiyoshi's hand darted forward, covering Akaya's with his and pulled it away. "You can do anything you want to me, I won't stop you. Anything but that."

Akaya leaned back and looked at him with tortured, pleading eyes. He recognized that look. He'd seen it on himself so many times in the mirror during all those years they'd been apart. It hurt more seeing it on his love's face than it had ever his own. "Please... just for a moment... I need this, Wakashi. You're not a vampire. You don't understand how important that feeling of connection is... just for a second? Please..."

"Akaya..." It would be impossible to deny that pleading tone. Their eyes connected and slowly he moved his hand off Akaya's and took a deep breath. "I'm scared..." He detested how those words sounded on his tongue. He hadn't been scared, truly scared, of anything in a long time. In fact, he hadn't felt any overwhelming emotion, except for maybe annoyance, in a really long time.

"Of what?" Akaya hand moved from his ear to cup his cheek instead, watching him. "There's nothing to be scared of."

Hiyoshi had slightly leaned the weight of his head into that touch, but when those words were said, he quickly righted himself and frowned. "You don't know the things I've been hunting. One time. That's all it takes. Any number of them could have psychic powers. If one of them just happens to be nearby and is looking for me..." He had hunted and killed countless monsters over the years; there could be countless more looking for him. "I won't lose you again. It's been thirty years, Akaya. What if our bond is gone? What if after so long... something has gone wrong?" He was babbling now.

"Our bond can never be gone, and you won't lose me. You'll never lose me, okay?" His love's blood-warmed lips kissed him softly and his hand moved back to the cuffs again. "Nothing will come after you that we can't handle together, alright?"

The hunter was not able to reciprocate the kiss, every instinct telling to chop Akaya's hand off. Instead, he wrapped his arms around him tightly and clung to him. Terror filled eyes stayed glued on Akaya's as he finally gave the smallest of nods.

He watched as Akaya winced painfully and the vampire let out a little whimper as he touched the cuff, but he didn't stop, not until the sound of silver made a clanging sound as it hit the floor. Hiyoshi gasped as all at once everything fell together. He hadn't even noticed until now that he'd felt like fragments of pieces, constantly drifting farther and farther apart. He had forgotten how it felt to be connected to himself, to be whole. It was if a switch had been turned back on in his brain, easily connecting the pieces. And then Akaya was there, loving him, a presence in his mind telling him that everything would be okay.

With eyes wide and tears gathering, he took hold of Akaya's wrist and brought it to his lips, kissing the angry red marks that marred his fingers that had removed the cuffs. "I'm so sorry..."

Akaya melted into his embrace, shivering and purring like a content kitten. "Wakashi... my Wakashi..." His love was crying again, but happy, and so very there with him. "It's okay... I love you so much. Everything is okay now..."

Hiyoshi wrapped around him, cradling his vampire to him. "I love you more." There was no doubt in his mind. The kiss they shared was close and loving, and he could taste both the saltiness and blood of their mixed tears. "Don't cry, love. I'm going to take care of you." He didn't care what he had to do, or how many he had to kill. He was never going to let them be parted again.

"I missed you so much... The crazy you kind of scared me..."

The hunter with his mind whole again, and not being slowly torn apart by a supernatural weapon meant to separate his emotions from all else, laughed. He held Akaya in a fierce hug. He didn't have to tell Akaya how much he missed him, how much he yearned to feel this again. How up till this moment, he could never quite believe Akaya was even real. It was almost too much after so many years.

He sought out his mouth again with needy lips, barely able to let himself breathe with how much he wanted to just kiss him. Akaya's hungry lips found his and his lover pushed him back onto the bed, pressing him down against the mattress. The need to make up for all the years those lips were separated from his was overwhelming, but he could sense Akaya had other plans.

Their clothes were shredded, and scraps of fabric fell off them. There was no time for him to prepare before Akaya was slowly pressing inside of him, moaning ferally. "You're mine, Wakashi." Hiyoshi's back arched at the intrusion as both pain and pleasure hit him. Akaya was pinning him down, claiming him, not showing a single ounce of weakness or hesitation.

The hunter smiled. "I know."

There were more gasps and moans as they moved together, and he found himself completely lost in it, letting Akaya have him in any way he wished. As they laid their together happily afterward, Hiyoshi knew he could never belong to anyone else. He felt so relaxed and happy, that the other presence in his mind barely even registered.

Then it came knocking, like a child poking at his mind curiously. It wasn't Atobe. Who could...? Oh, shit. Gakuto.

"Mm... I love you..." Akaya was kissing over his neck softly, nibbling a little here and there, his body cuddled up on top of his. "Ne... Wakashi... Welcome home."

Hiyoshi turned his attention back toward Akaya and smiled, squeezing him closer. "I'm home." He wasn't ready to let anyone else in yet. Gakuto would have to wait.

He had to turn away from Akaya for a moment to pick up the cuff from off the floor, then quickly put it back on. Immediately, he could feel the separation, and it almost staggered him, making it hard to breath. He never realized how much he had relied on Akaya's love to keep him sane. He pulled his love back to him, an apology in his gaze.

As expected, Akaya did not look happy at all. "Wakashiiiiiiiiiiii-"

Hiyoshi cut him off his whine by kissing him, then followed up by quickly asking . "You said Shishido kept my house, right?"

"I think so... probably. Do you want to go back there?"

"Well... I wasn't going to." He still felt awkward about returning. "But... my family home is like a safe house. Nothing can penetrate it unless invited." It was the most practical way to make this work. "I could take off my cuffs there and not worry."

Akaya's eyes shined with tiny little stars and he practically leapt out of the bed. "Okay! Let's go!"

Hiyoshi chuckled, amused. "Right now?" he teased.

"YES!"

That time he laughed aloud. Laughing still kind of hurt since he hadn't done it in so long. He felt lighter, happier. Even with the cuffs back on, he could still remember the feeling of Akaya's love for him and the reassurance he'd felt that everything was going to be okay. "Maybe tomorrow. You'll have to call Shishido and make sure it's still there, and we already have plans for tonight." He still wanted to go to his family's burial grounds and introduce Akaya to his family.

But first, he needed to get up and get ready. He also had a headache. "Akaya... I have a headache." Maybe Akaya just naturally gave him headaches. "Do you think if you kill me and I come back life, it'll go away?"

Akaya gave him a horrified look. "No! Cause then I'll have one!"

"Oh." Damn. "Hm... Coffee then, and a shower." He kissed down the line of Akaya's chin then stood.

"You want me to make you something? The food I made you earlier is probably cold..."

Ouch, now he felt guilty. "Only if you want, and if it's light. I'm not used to eating much."

"Ok, but you're gonna start eating better, alright? You look like a skeleton." From the look he was receiving, Hiyoshi figured he might as well give in cause he wasn't going to have a choice.

"You haven't been around to make me eat, and I only like the food you make me." He was admittedly trying to win some points with that one, but then he realized it was actually 100% true. He raised an eyebrow and asked perfectly serious. "Wait. Is that the curses fault too?"

Akaya laughed loudly. "Nope. That's just cause I fucking rock and you've been spoiled." He stuck his tongue out at him.

"Oh. Then it's still your fault." He leaned down to peck him on the lips one more time. "Okay. Shower. Coffee." He got up and left the room on mission. Everything was going to be alright.


	8. Chapter 8: Kirihara

CHAPTER 8

"Akaya, you ready to go?" Wakashi's voice called up to him from down on the street, outside the apartment. Even though his apartment was seven stories up, the vampire could easily hear his boyfriend. Akaya had just gotten done with his shower after cleaning up the cold breakfast Wakashi hadn't eaten. He'd even changed the sheets on the bed so they could have more sex and cuddle when they got home from the cemetery.

"Coming!" He called as he hopped down the stairs of the fire escape, and jumped the last few floors to the ground. They were going to Wakashi's family burial grounds. He'd never really thought about it before, but it made sense that his boyfriend's family would have one. Back when Akaya's family was still alive, they'd just been poor innkeepers on the outskirts of the small village he'd been raised in. They didn't have the money for something fancy like private burial grounds. His sister would have been buried with her husband's family if she had been buried at all.

When he joined his mushroom on the street, he grinned widely and grabbed his hand. Wakashi taking him to meet his family meant he was serious about staying this time. It had to be! It was a sign! Even though Wakashi's family was dead... That was okay, so was he.

"I have to stop at the store first and get some supplies."

Akaya nodded, just happy his boyfriend was beside him and holding his hand. If Wakashi hadn't been to the family burial grounds in a while, it probably needed to be cleaned. He wondered if he should get flowers or something.

Grabbing everything they needed quickly from a local mini-mart, when they got to the counter to pay for everything, Akaya automatically reached into his pocket to grab his wallet. Wakashi beat him to it. He blinked and stared curiously as his boyfriend handed the check out clerk a shiny gold card. "Where'd ya get that?"

"Atobe."

He thought about it for a minute, trying to figure out who the hell that was. Nope, not a clue.

"The vampire who trained me..."

"Oh yeah! That guy... You still talk to that guy?" That had been the bastard who took his Wakashi away on all those stupid training trips. The creeper who even took all his attention while he was sleeping. The guy who had told him about the witch that had connected their life forces.

"I've been living at his place off and on since I left." Wakashi finished checking out and walked out of the store with Akaya right on his heels.

"Oh..." Was that the guy who Wakashi had sex with three years ago? Ew ew ew ew ew. His face skewed into a look of complete disgust and he quickly hurried to walk beside his human again. "Well... Now you're going to live with me instead!"

Wakashi snorted. "Who said I was going to let you live with me?"

Akaya stopped again wide eyed and his bottom lip trembled. He was about to start babbling but then Wakashi kissed him. Almost babbling turned into a large idiotic grin. His Wakashi had kissed him! Outside in public! Even if there wasn't anyone else around at this time of night... it was still the fact that mattered!

"This would go a lot faster if you took us there."

The happy vampire blinked a few times. Wakashi was asking for a ride? Maybe this really wasn't his human. Had he been replaced by a supernatural clone? What were those called... doppel-somethins... He was still sexy and tasted good... "I can do that!" He picked him up and ran.

Wakashi squawked and clung to him for dear life; Akaya loved it. He slowed down though so his human could give him directions. By the time they got there, he was pretty sure this was a doppel-somethin. He still didn't complain though when he was thrown up against the wooden tori at the entrance and kissed. Akaya wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. He was a happy, happy boy. They were totally making out in a cemetery. "Damn, you're hot..."

His boyfriend laughed again. It was a soothing sound. There was always something soothing about being in a cemetery, too. Maybe it went along with the whole being dead thing.

They moved inside and Wakashi led him up a bunch of stairs into an older part of the burial site, closer to the main temple. He followed along, looking around and reading a bunch of the names that they passed until they stopped in front of a large plot with lots of markers that clearly read "Hiyoshi."

His human stood stunned beside him, and Akaya whistled. "Wow. That's spotless. I'm guessing that wasn't you, huh?" Every stone was cleanly polished and there were still remnants of flowers set out in front of one of the newer looking markers.

"Must have been Choutarou. I haven't been back here since I first came back to Japan." Wakashi's voice was soft. The last living son of the Hiyoshi family knelt down on his knees in front of them. Akaya waited silently, letting Wakashi talk to his family in peace.

A few minutes later, Wakashi breathed in deeply and gestured for him to join him. He kneeled in front of the grave next to his human and bowed low; he was actually quite respectful when he believed people deserved it. He quietly said a few words of his own, hoping the dead hunters wouldn't come back to haunt him. That would be terrifying.

"I just introduced you to them," his human spoke again quietly. "I told them I love you, and that I'd be with you until I join them someday." A shaky hand settled over his cold one and squeezed it. "I told them you make me happy, and I hope they can be happy for me."

Akaya blinked and looked over at his blushing human who was staring at the ground. All his. This human hunter was going to be all his forever and ever. Grinning like an idiot, he brought his human's hand up to his lips and kissed it. "I did a lot of begging, so... I hope they like me... and that you keep liking me."

Wakashi smiled an adorable mushroom smile at him, then turned back to the graves and froze, staring. Akaya turned back to see what he was looking at. There was a newer stone that had been added beside the others, and his boyfriend's name was on it. "Well... that was nice of them."

"I guess it makes sense. I'm dead. I mean... I died. Multiple times. Haha."

The vampire's expression turned a little worried and he pulled his very much still alive human into his arms. "You're not dead, okay? Don't look so sad..." He kissed his neck. "I'm right here, and so are you. You just disappeared for a long time. Everyone just thought you were dead... except apparently Atobe." Yeah, so maybe he was a little bitter.

"I want to feel you."

That sounded like an amazing idea. "Then lets call Ryou and go to your house, huh? Then we can feel each other as much as we want." Yes, please, yes.

"Okay. You call him." Wakashi stood and bowed to his family one last time, then looked around the them. "While you do that, I'm going to look around to see if there's anything to hunt."

"Er... Okay." Akaya blinked and felt a shiver go down his spine at the creepy grin his boyfriend now wore. Oh yeah, his human was a crazy strong and scary hunter now. "Uh... Try not to get hurt?" What was he supposed to say? Maybe he should have added a nice reminder not to kill his adorable vampire boyfriend who loves him very much. He pulled out his cell phone quickly.

The phone rang in his ear as the hunter walked away from him, fingers visibly twitching at his side where Akaya now knew a weapon was hidden. It was very, very important he get them home asap.

"Nn... Whaddya want, brat?" Ryou answered the phone sounding grumpy as usual.

"Do you know what happened to Wakashi's house? We gotta go there now before he accidentally kills me." With the way his human had walked away, he had the terrifying feeling that it wasn't that far from the truth.

"It's still there. Choutarou bought the land it's on. We got the keys somewhere around here." There was the sound of movement and he could hear Ryou's voice calling away from the phone, "Hey, Choutarou, Akaya and Wakashi want the house back. That okay?"

There was a terrified scream that came from the other side of the cemetery, but Akaya didn't feel any pain. He sweatdropped and hoped Ryou would be faster. "Um... Ryou... The quicker the better! I think Wakashi might be killing shit and I think I'm next if I move even an inch!"

"What? What the hell are you two doing this time? Wait. Don't tell me. I don't wanna know."

The scream was followed by the sound of something crashing. Akaya stood paralyzed with eyes wide and a very active imagination. "Hurry!" He whimpered and hung up the phone.

After his phone snapped closed, the cemetery went completely and eerily silent. Only the sound of the wind and cicadas sounded around him. He couldn't hear or smell Wakashi anywhere. He held perfectly still, senses high on alert.

"Hello there."

"EEP!" Akaya nearly jumped three feet in the air as a pair of arms came around him and pulled him back against a solid chest. Okay, yes. Maybe he'd creeped himself out while he was waiting for Hiyoshi to get back. You see, he'd started thinking about zombies and zombies were fucking scary. "H...hi." His phone was taken from him and flung to the side.

"Seems there is only one." His hunter boyfriend chuckled behind him. "What's wrong, dear? Aren't you excited to see me?" He was shoved up against one of the shrines and Wakashi pressed up against him, looking down at him like he might devour him at any moment. Had he just called him "dear"?

Akaya gasped and moaned softly. "Mm... Yeah... I'm always excited to see you..."

"I can feel that." Wakashi's leg came up between his and pressed him harder against stone. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place. The hunter leaned down and bit his neck hard, waited for it to heal, then bit down again harder. Akaya moaned.

"Wakashi..."

"Wait till I take you on a real hunt."

Akaya shivered, both terrified and very, very turned on. "Yeah..?"

"If I let you." His ultra sexy boyfriend smirked and Akaya closed his eyes to receive his kiss.

"You two are fucking twisted."

Wakashi whirled around, ready to attack, but Akaya grabbed him and held him back tightly. "It's just Ryou!" His sire could have maybe waited just a few more minutes... he hadn't gotten his kiss.

"You're even more paranoid than before." Ryou held out some paperwork and keys. "Here. The paperwork is for the land the house is on. I've already taken care of your identity papers. Choutarou signed the paperwork making it legally yours again."

His boyfriend reached out and grabbed everything from his sire with a murderous glare. On second thought, maybe it was best to get them out of there as soon as possible, then they could relax and feel each other again, and work on this whole anger management, killing thing. Who better than him to help with that!

Ryou just shrugged it off then turned to leave. "Tomorrow's the full moon. Be careful." Quickly as that, he disappeared back out into the night.

"Thanks, Ryou!" Akaya called after him, then grinned at his boyfriend, taking his hand. "We gonna go to your house?"

"Maybe tomorrow. I have no idea what kind of state it's in."

Akaya frowned. That would ruin all his plans for the night! "I'm sure Ryou took care of it," he squeezed their joined hands and started pulling him along out of the cemetery. The thought crossed his mind to ask what exactly that scream and crash had been, but then he decided he rather not know. "Come on, it'll be ok..."

Wakashi sighed. "Fine."

"Yay!" He picked up his human and bolted out of the cemetery and toward the old hunter house. He wanted that cuff off as quickly as possible! Then they would snuggle and maybe take a shower and snuggle and have sex and snuggle more and everything would be perfect.

When they got closer to the right neighborhood and there were more people around, he stopped and put his human down. Taking his hand again, he smiled and continued to pull him along happily, but became worried again when his saw Wakashi's expression. He looked hesitant and unsure of himself.

"You okay?"

"Of course." Wakashi answered quickly, voice rough with the tone he used when he was annoyed by something.

"Did seein' Ryou piss you off that much?" It was the only thing he could think of that would make Wakashi angry again.

"I have no idea."

"Oh..." His boyfriend was crazy.

Wakashi groaned and held his hand tighter, picking up their pace as they walked along the familiar streets. Not much had changed in thirty years. A new roof here, a different gate there...

"You know, I actually appreciated the fact that I was going crazy before I came back to you."

Akaya sweatdropped. "My bad?"

"Yes. It is."

Feeling indignant, Akaya pouted and was about to tell Wakashi that it was his own damn fault he'd gone suicidal killer crazy, when the hunter stopped and Akaya looked up to the familiar house they used to live in together and his...

"My yard!" He ran to the gate and looked through it where the lawn was overgrown with weeds and.. and... "I'm gonna kill Ryou!"

Wakashi tensed beside him, but then held his stomach as he began to laugh loudly. "It's okay, Akaya. Really... It's just a yard."

"It's MY yard! That bastard messed it up! Look at that! There is crab grass, CRAB GRASS! Do you know how hard that is to get rid of?!" His precious garden and koi... His poor baby koi...

He got no sympathy from Wakashi at all, who just covered his mouth and looked like he might start hyperventilating. Akaya glared and pouted at him, turning away and not caring if Wakashi did die this time.

"Your yard, huh?" Those arms were holding him again, making all of Akaya's anger at him melt away.

"Of course my yard," he cried. Did his human not remember all the work he'd put into it?

Wakashi chuckled and nipped at his lips. "Should we go into MY house?"

"Mm...sure..." He wasn't going to argue with him when he was suddenly being so sweet.

He was pulled through the gate and onto the deck of the house. Wakashi used the keys to unlock it and stepped inside. From what he could see, the house was nearly flawless, it was in even better condition than when they'd lived there.

Akaya smiled and went forward, about to wrap his arms around his boyfriend, when he felt the house blocking him. He sweatdropped and looked up at Wakashi. "Err... Invite me in?"

His masochistic boyfriend smirked at him from inside the house. "I don't know... I almost want to take advantage of this. We should test the barrier, don't you think?" He watched as Wakashi reached up and took his cuff off and placed it on the counter just inside the door. He couldn't feel him at all, nothing.

"Wakashiiii! It works!" His whole body felt fidgety and jumpy, just waiting for the words that would allow him in and feel what was his again. But all Wakashi did was lean against the inside of the doorframe, grinning widely at him. Akaya was about to start killing things.

"Come here."

Akaya raced inside the house and jumped him, wrapping his arms and legs around his human's neck and waist. The kissing started and they both grabbed and clawed at each other, not going anywhere for the rest of the night.


	9. Chapter 9: Hiyoshi

CHAPTER 9

Hiyoshi woke up that evening feeling amazing. It was official: waking up with Akaya sprawled out on top of him, unable to move, and no cuff blocking their recently renewed bond, was the best feeling in the world. Turning his head to the side, he came face to face with his love and smiled. All those years of slowly becoming detached from his emotions had slowly been driving him insane, and he was pretty sure it would have some kind of lasting effect, but even that he could deal with if Akaya was by his side.

When the hell had he gotten so corny? With the reemergence of all these feelings at once, he'd been more unstable than usual. One moment wanting to hug his vampire and repeatedly declare his love in sappy monologues, then the next wanting to slam Akaya against the nearest surface and watch him squirm in silver chains. Maybe he needed to take up meditation, or maybe he needed to see an actual psychologist. They'd probably just throw him right in the looney bin. Also, it was really annoying that for some reason his body now remembered how to blush. He was something like... what? Fifty years old now? He shouldn't still be prone to blushing.

Whatever the case, he finally felt alive again, and it didn't take killing supernatural creatures to make him feel that way. All it took was Akaya. The weight of... everything, was off his shoulders. They could do whatever they wanted, be whatever they wanted. There were no more oaths or commitments or attachments they had to... shit. Except for maybe that, but he'd deal with it when he had to.

He leaned forward to lightly kiss Akaya's forehead, then moved out from under him. They had somehow actually made it to the master bedroom, though there wasn't actually any bedding on the bed. The house was clean and stripped bare of everything save the furniture which had been covered by sheets. He couldn't wait to be back in his dojo again.

So excited and the happiest he'd been in decades, he practically skipped outside of the house to get there. A real training space again. The place his father and brother had first... "What the FUCK?! My dojo!" his heart pounded furiously as the rage hit him.

From inside the house, there was a crash. "Ack! What-where- Kill it!"

Hiyoshi was currently having a heart attack. His dojo, his family's pride and joy... was being used as a storage room? "I'm gonna kill him..." Who the fuck's crap was this!

"Nn..." Akaya stumbled out the front door and toward him. "Um... Wakashi... What's wrong? It's probably just Ryou's and Choutarou's stuff... I can help clean it out..."

"You can help me kill him." He hadn't even bothered to put on anything but his boxers and pants that morning. He didn't even have his sai to throw. He couldn't believe he'd let his guard down when it's killing time. He started back toward his house to grab his gear and his... He felt quickly at his ear and swallowed hard. His cuff. After so many years of being so careful, he'd carelessly forgotten to put his cuff back on before coming outside.

Akaya grabbed him and pulled him close. "No, Wakashi. Calm down... It's okay. I'll clean it out and everything will be ok-"

"Let go!" He tried to shove him off and get back to the house. "The house! I have to get back to-" He was coming. He could feel his pet coming.

"Wakashi... it's okay," Akaya clung to him out in the yard.

He stopped all at once, eyes widening and quickly thinking over his options. He grabbed Akaya's forearms in a steel grip and looked him in the eyes seriously. "Akaya, you have to listen to me. There something I have to tell-"

"Yo, Piyo! I know you're in here! Hehe I found you!" The voice of his pet called from the other side of the house near the gate.

Hiyoshi winced.

Akaya blinked. "Pi...yo?" The vampire frowned, sniffing the air in shock, as if he'd caught the scent of something he couldn't quite believe existed. Hiyoshi watched and clung to Akaya desperately as his love's eyes slowly turned red as realization must have sunk in.

"Akaya, please... listen..." He was thrown to the side hard. "Gakuto! Inside the house! NOW!" He yelled frantically, his body slamming against the side of the dojo. There was no way he could catch Akaya in time. Thinking fast, he looked around and grabbed the nearest thing he could find. Without a second thought, he plunged the small fallen twig into his own hand, grimacing as he heard Akaya's cry, then took it out and plunged it into his own abdomen. "Kiri-hara... Akaya..." he gasped out loud, trying to stay focused as he cast the spell, "You are no longer... welcome in my home..." He fell over onto his side, grimacing as he pulled the bloody blunt stick out of himself.

"Wakashi!' He could hear and feel Akaya's tearful cries of pain and anger from the other side of the house and it hurt more than the hole in his stomach. Using the wall as a support, Hiyoshi managed to get to his feet, clutching at his wound as he hobbled his way over toward Akaya.

By the time he got there, his hand had mostly healed, and his stomach was getting there, but what he saw made him pause. Akaya was on his feet as well, looking the most inhuman he'd ever seen him. His red eyes stood out in the dark, red and glowing, and his fangs were bared boldly.

There was no trace of the boy Hiyoshi loved, not when all he saw in that expression was hate. Now the hunter was glad that wasn't wearing the cuff, afraid that without it, he wouldn't be able to distinguish his lover from his prey.

"Let me in. I'm going to kill him." Even Akaya's voice cracked maliciously as they stood staring each other down in front of the door.

"Akaya... calm down..."

"That's the bastard that touched you!" The vampire growled demonically. "He smells like your blood! I'll crush him."

Gakuto appeared at the door and tossed him his sai like a good trained pet. "Damn... It's ugly. Look at that hair..."

Hiyoshi caught the sai without looking. "You're not helping, Gakuto..." keeping his eyes on his love, he tried again calmly. "There are some things I should explain..."

Akaya turned and slammed against the invisible wall that was keeping him from getting inside. "Let me in there, Wakashi!"

"Not until you calm down!" He tried using a sterner tone this time. Very slowly, he moved up closer behind Akaya. "If you want to get inside so you can kill him, you'll have to kill me first." He reached out for his shoulder. "And I'd really rather you didn't."

On the other side of Akaya, Gakuto's jaw hung open in disbelief. "Wait... You DON'T want to die? Is the world ending?!"

Akaya growled, his voice was still rough and threatening, but seemed to relax slightly at his touch. "You... why are you defending him...? You hurt me... to protect him..." His posture and demeanor were still very inhuman.

Hiyoshi dropped his sai to the ground and took steps to stand between Akaya and the door, facing his demon love. He tried explaining it in a way Akaya would understand. "He's... my child."

Confusion crossed Akaya's face, then he slowly relaxed, looking much more like his normal self again. "Child? But... You're not a vampire. How.."

"He's not very bright, is he?" Gakuto chimed in unhelpfully.

"It's complicated." Hiyoshi quickly added, making a mental note to beat Gakuto to a bloody pulp later. "I killed his maker when he was only half turned, so I finished it." At his words he could feel through their bond Akaya was starting to calm down.

"Oh..." Akaya wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled against him possessively. "Explains why he felt so weak..."

"HEY! Suck my dick, ASSHAT!"

Hiyoshi held onto him closely and combed through Akaya's hair reassuringly. He was very used to ignoring Gakuto. "I love you."

"He has you under some kind of mind thing, doesn't he!" Gakuto accused loudly from behind him. "I knew it was weird that you weren't wearing your cuff!"

Akaya growled, then relaxed and nuzzled him when Hiyoshi kissed the side of his head softly. "I love you, too... I don't like him though..." his vampire grumbled.

"Get used to it. I've tried to ditch him a few times. It doesn't work. Which reminds me..." He let go of Akaya and turned toward the little menace that was standing inside his door.

"Err..." Gakuto started to back up slowly.

"I TOLD you to wait at the mansion! I specifically told you not to come looking for me! Next time you disobey me, I'm going to tie you down and lock you up somewhere even Oshitari can't find you!"

Gakuto shrugged and crossed his arms, looking away from him. "I got bored. Hey... What if Yuushi found me tied up and locked down? Haven't tried that one..."

Hiyoshi face-palmed. "GO. Find something to play with. Not the weapons."

"But I'm hungry..."

"GO!" He glared menacingly at him and silently promised eminent death if Gakuto did not listen to him now.

"Yeah, yeah..." Gakuto turned and ran back further into the house.

Sighing, Hiyoshi turned back towards Akaya who was looking at him wide eyed. "What?" he asked, annoyed.

"Grown up voice Wakashi is scary as hell."

"Ugh." The hunter who now had two vampire brats to care for rubbed at his eyes. He'd thought this would be a good morning. "NO killing him. Understood?"

Akaya nodded a little. "Maiming?"

He gave his idiot a look that clearly stated he was not impressed. Without another word, he walked into the house without him and closed the door.

"I'm sorry! I won't, I'll be good, I promise!" His lover cried at him through the door.

He opened the door again and glared at him the same menacing glare he'd given Gakuto. "You mean it?"

"PIYO! EVERYTHING IN HERE HURTS!"

Oh yeah, he'd forgotten to warn Gakuto that almost everything in the house was made of silver. "Then don't touch anything!" he called back, then looked to Akaya for his answer.

"Yeah... I won't... I mean it."

Hiyoshi sighed again and held out his hand toward him. "Alright, come in."

Immediately Akaya was at his side and holding his hand, squeezing it hard and possessively.


	10. Chapter 10: Kirihara

CHAPTER 10

The first thing Akaya was aware of when he came to was the excruciating burning sensation around his wrists. It was the familiar sting of silver on his skin, and he couldn't hold back his whimper. Opening his eyes, he examined his surroundings. He was hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room, silver chains bound his wrists and his feet were far from the floor. The dank smelling, dungeon like room sent shivers down his spine and his chest tightened in fear when he saw the different torture devices that lined the room. Where the hell was he, medieval Europe?!

The last thing he remembered was fighting with his mate again about that annoying pest feeding off HIS Wakashi. He'd left the house before the urge to kill the fucking redhead got the best of him again. How long had he been here? Where was Wakashi?

The sound of soft footsteps echoed behind him in the darkness. Oh yeah... That's right. It'd been like this on that night as well. On the street, he'd heard those same footsteps approaching him from behind. He'd noticed too late that the person behind him had no heart beat. After that, blackness.

"Ara, you're awake," A sweet voice with an odd accent drawled and drew Akaya's attention quickly. His eyes searched the best they could, but he couldn't turn himself enough to see the speaker. "I'm sorry I had to do this, but I am quite past the age of playing cat and mouse." As the speaker moved into his view, the young vampire's jaw dropped. It was the blunette, the one who'd killed Wakashi's family. He'd only seen the guy once, all those years ago when Wakashi had fought to get his house back, but there was no way he could forget.

"Y-you bastard! Let me go!" The pleas, obviously, fell on deaf ears as Yukimura continued to smile at him. There was no way he was going anywhere before the ancient was done with him. As Akaya struggled against his bonds, he realized something else that made him tense with fear: he was completely naked. He did his best to call out for Shishido mentally, but he got no response. He was alone in this. "What do you want with me?"

Moving closer, Yukimura traced a slender, cool, and perfectly manicured finger down over Akaya's chest, "I want to fix you. I can't have my own flesh and blood being so weak. It's embarrassing." The smile faded from his lips for a split second before coming back in all of its sadistic glory. Pulling a knife, seemingly out of nowhere, Yukimura ran the flat side of it down over Akaya's abs, making the younger boy suck in a scared breath.  
"Y-Your flesh and blood? What are you talking about, you psycho? I'm Shishido's, not yours!" The psycho laughed softly and stabbed him in the thigh without so much as a blink. Akaya screamed.

"You may have originally been turned by him, but...I can assure you, you are my blood. The human 'father' you had did not create you. I did. They managed to hide you from me for far too long... until a little red bird went looking for its master." Red eyes, filled with bloody tears, focused on Yukimura; confused, scared, and stunned.

"What do you mean-you're a vampire, vampires can't have kids-"

"Ah, see, that is where you're wrong. Only created vampires can not reproduce, but, I am an original. I was born this way and as such, reproduction is quite easy for me." Yukimura licked at the blood trailing from the knife wound then frowned. "Your blood tastes like that pathetic excuse for a maker of yours... Don't worry, I'll make it all better..."

"Don't touch me! You're not my dad! My dad was a good hard working guy, you're just a sadistic bastard-" The knife twisting in his leg drew another cry from him, stopping his argument immediately.

Yukimura's smile was wide and terrifying, "Haven't you ever wondered why you never got them? The powers that the others have? You're the only one without them, aren't you? It must be frustrating to be so weak and helpless. For a mere decades old vampires to be stronger than you despite being a couple hundred years old. Aren't you curious why that is?"

Everything Akaya had been insecure about ever since he realized he hadn't gotten powers like everyone else was laid out for him by Yukimura in a way that made more bloody tears well up in his eyes. He couldn't bring himself to answer aside from a slow nod of his head.

"It's because you're my child. Shishido comes from a different line of vampires than us, a different original. Your blood and body can't accept his powers. But...if you were to have mine...mm, you would be wonderfully strong with the potential of being even stronger than that werewolf loving brat." Pulling the knife from Akaya's flesh slowly, Yukimura licked it clean, the smile returning to his face, "You were born to be a vampire, Akaya. Shishido could feel it, he just didn't understand it." Akaya's mind raced with questions, but he couldn't seem to voice any of them. "I will make you strong, my son..." He lifted one of Akaya's legs up over his shoulder and licked his inner thigh.

The touch made him shudder and whimper, "D...don't-" Akaya pleaded, though it fell on deaf ears. Fangs sunk into his thigh, hitting the artery expertly and he felt what was left his strength drain away slowly until he blacked out.

This time when Akaya became aware of anything, his head was resting on Yukimura's thigh and the smell of blood and death saturated the air. He brought a hand up to his aching head to find that it too was covered in blood. Sitting up quickly, the young vampire surveyed the dungeon which was now covered in bodies and blood. He felt like he was going to be sick, especially when he saw a few of the bodies were charred and still smoking. That pushed him over the edge and he threw up what he could only presume was the blood of the bodies in the room.

Yukimura chuckled as he watched him, looking nice and refreshed despite his damp clothing that was stained with blood. "You survived your rebirth. It was nice to see you so... enthusiastic. You are definitely my son."  
Once Akaya had regained his composure, he wiped at his lips with the back of his hand and sobbed softly, Shishido had never allowed him to do this. He had kept him calm and fed him slowly, not let him give in to the bloodlust that took over after the change. He hadn't let him become a monster, "I...I did this...?"

"Indeed. Lovely, isn't it?"

Everything since the change had been like a dream. A very, very trippy dream. He was seeing technicolors and feeling like he was floating half the time, and he didn't know if he loved it or hated it... but he couldn't stop. Every once in awhile he had a nagging feeling that there was something he was supposed to do, someone he should see, but the blood always made him forget again, and then it didn't matter.

His master let him out of the dungeon now, knowing he wouldn't run away. When he stopped drinking the Master's blood, he hurt all over and it felt like the world was collapsing on him. He was hooked. His body was changing, growing stronger. When he was on the high, his skin turned red, almost enough to match his eyes, and his hair turned white. The hunger was overwhelming, and master supplied him all he needed, but it never sated him.

As time continued, he became more accustomed to his maker's blood, though no less addicted. His maker no longer tortured him, but every day he would cry out in pain from an unknown source. The memories he'd been missing would come floating back to him in a haze. One day, a face appeared in his waking dreams, mushroom hair and stern eyes, and he understood. The daily pain no longer bothered him; he needed it, yearned for it. Every jab of pain meant Wakashi was still alive, and looking for him.

His hunger grew. Soon, he wasn't getting stronger anymore, but weaker with each night that passed. He knew he needed blood. Not the shit tasting blood from the humans Yukimura kept trying to offer him, not even the drug like blood that Yukimura himself offered. He knew exactly what he needed.

When Yukimura had re-sired him, it had destroyed the bond he had with Wakashi, but it didn't break the witch's curse. Only Wakashi's blood could keep him strong and sated. His captor had asked him a few times what it was he needed, but he just kept his mouth shut. He did what he was told and he didn't complain (something Shishido had only dreamed of him doing), but he didn't smile or show any type of emotion. He'd become a doll.

Part of him wanted to try and run, but he knew without the ancient's blood he'd be in a lot of pain and he also knew he wouldn't get far. They were bonded now, and Yukimura would be able to find him easily no matter where he ran to. He didn't want to put Wakashi in danger, so he just stayed quiet and obeyed until he could think of a way to escape for good. A way that wouldn't end up with him locked in the dungeon with the rotting corpses again. Staying also had a few advantages. He could hone his new powers without hurting anyone he cared about and with the help of his biological father. The original master of said powers.

When the aforementioned father walked out to him, Akaya's body ached, anxious for the older man's blood, despite knowing it wouldn't sate his hunger.

"Come, Akaya, we're going to go find that hunter boy of yours."

Red demon-like eyes widened and Akaya shook his head a little. The smell of the addicting blood filled the air, and he instantly latched onto his maker like a leech. He was only allowed a small taste, but it was enough. The world twirled around him again euphorically and he listened to his master's commands.

"Let's go. I'm sure he's wondering where you've been. I say we ease his fears..." His master smirked and the two lifted into the air. Akaya smiled devilishly with burning red eyes, and licked at his fangs hungrily. Tonight was going to be fun.


	11. Chapter 11: Hiyoshi

CHAPTER 11

It had never happened. He'd never come back to this city, he'd never found Akaya again. Hiyoshi had never, not for one second, thought he might possibly have a chance at being happy. It was easier to think that way, so much easier than the knowledge that Akaya had left him.

It had been a small fight, at least he'd thought so. Akaya didn't like that Gakuto was feeding from him. It didn't matter now. Akaya had walked out and never come back. He'd tried to find him, used their bond to track him, but then it vanished just a few hours after Akaya left. It was like someone reached inside him and stole something precious, the link they shared was gone. It had taken mere seconds after the separation for him to stab himself in the heart.

Akaya was still alive. Their bond was gone but the curse wasn't. It was the only thing that kept him sane. If Akaya truly wanted him gone from his life, he would find a way to end the curse. Every night was spent looking for his vampire, and every night ended with him taking his own life. If he awoke from death, it meant there was still another night of hope.

He'd sent Gakuto back to the mansion, afraid of what he might do to him if he truly lost it. Atobe tried to contact him a few times, but he ignored every summons. Shishido was the one person he'd tried to get in touch with, but he wouldn't return his calls. Not even Choutarou. Maybe he deserved this.

He sat on the street where Akaya's apartment was, watching the cars and people go by with dead eyes. Any moment now, Akaya would walk around the corner, coming home to him.

"I thought you might be here."

Somehow, Hiyoshi could feel the demon of his nightmares' presence coming long before he could see him. Wasn't Yukimura supposed to be dead? Maybe he had finally died, and this was hell. This was exactly what his hell would be like. Akaya lost to him, and Yukimura Seiichi's shadow looming over him. It made sense that he would come for him now, now when it didn't matter anymore. If there was no Akaya to go home to after Yukimura's defeat, he'd rather share the same fate as his family and go to them. Though he would never find them in hell.

He looked up, eyes devoid of fear, or anything else for that matter. He didn't even bother to raise his weapon. The blue-haired demon was smiling the same way he always did. He'd worn that smile both times they'd met. It made him sick to his stomach. Movement beside the demon drew his gaze down, and this time his eyes landed on red. The familiar, beloved, red eyes of his own demon. It didn't matter that his hair was white and his skin was almost the same shade of red as his eyes. It was Akaya.

"Wha...?" He ducked and rolled back. There were too many people around. Yukimura wouldn't attack to openly. This had to be some kind of trick. It looked like Akaya, but not. He was too stunned to do anything but stand there in a defensive pose. "Akaya?"

The blue-haired demon chuckled. "Oh, he can't hear you right now." Long fingers petted the curls Hiyoshi loved to trail his own fingers through so much. "He's off in a dreamland. My son is adorable, isn't he? To think, all the time I've spent looking for my son, and all along he was playing house to the little Hiyoshi hunter I spared all those years ago."

Hiyoshi's stance stiffened. Yukimura's words confused him, and Akaya just stood there... staring at him hungrily, eyes glazed over soullessly with fangs bared. "Your... son?" None of this made sense. "BASTARD!" In a blind rage, he threw a silver dagger at the ancient and ran back further into the park. He needed to put space between them and find a place of advantage. Tears gathered in his eyes. What had he done to Akaya?

"Now, now, Hiyoshi-kun." Yukimura's chilling voice reached his ears as Hiyoshi continued to run. "You can relax. I'm simply here to ask you a question." There was a pause, and he wasn't sure if Yukimura planned to come after him or not. "Akaya, fetch."

He had gone over this in his head a thousand times, no, a million times. He knew just how he would fight the ancient, how he would kill him, but how was he supposed to fight this thing that used to be the vampire he loved?

Akaya was fast, faster than before. He'd sworn to himself that he'd never hurt him, but this was his only chance. He turned around just as Akaya reached for him and plunged his knife into his own hand, the same hand Akaya reached out to him with. Akaya howled in pain and Hiyoshi kicked out viciously with a silver edged shoe to make him go flying back and put some space between them. "AKAYA! STOP!"

His love hit the trunk of a tree with a grunt, then slowly picked himself back up. Flames licked up the side of his body, and for a moment Hiyoshi's heart stopped, afraid of what that meant.

Oh god... it was true. He knew what Yukimura's powers were, but how was this even possible? He bit back his tears and pulled the knife out of his hand, very slowly backing up towards the edge of the park lake. He glared at the vampire who right now was not his love. "You weak bastard! How could you let him of all people do this to you!"

The vampire slowly rose and took a couple steps toward him, swaying oddly which confused him. Could Akaya even hear him? Then the demon blurred to Hiyoshi's eyes, charging at a speed much faster than his love was capable of, and the next thing he knew, he was being tackled to the ground.

"Shit!" He fought off the attack, wrestling on the ground for control, but Akaya overpowered him easily. He might have been able to stake him, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill Akaya. He waited for death's blow, but it never came. Instead, Akaya latched onto his bloody hand with hungry fangs and drank hungrily, not fighting him at all anymore. He just lay there, curling on top of him like a content kitten, drinking peacefully.

It only took a second to realize what was happening. The curse. Akaya still needed his blood to survive. "You belong to me..." he practically growled, wrapping his legs around Akaya's waist and forcing them over, straddling him on the grass. "Not that ancient shit!" Breathing hard, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked down at the boy he loved still sucking at his wrist, he could feel himself weakening by the second.

"Shit." He made his decision quickly. Grabbing for his knife, he quickly made a small cut on the side of Akaya's neck, then leaned down to drink, re-sealing their bond. Akaya whimpered beneath him, then seemed to purr contentedly. It didn't matter to which clan Akaya belonged now, no one would take his vampire from him. The new strength of Akaya's blood nearly claimed his mind, the addiction of his blood a strong one.

"Akaya! If you don't get him back here this instant you're sleeping in the dungeon!" The blue haired demon snapped. Hiyoshi had almost forgotten he was still somewhere close by.

He ripped himself away from Akaya's neck, lips red with his blood, and stole back his wrist from Akaya's fangs as well. "You're mine," he hissed at him, feeling all the strength that came with the feeding.

"R...run..." Akaya's voice was strained and hoarse, but their eyes found each other, and there was a glimmer of recognition in them that wasn't there before.

A flash of relief went through him, and Hiyoshi tangled a hand in Akaya's curls. "You're coming with me." Needless to say, he was not going anywhere without Akaya.

"He'll... find me..." Akaya looked off in the distance towards where Yukimura had to be waiting for him.

Hiyoshi didn't care, but... damn it. They couldn't win right now. He held onto his hair tighter and tears started to fall from his eyes. He leaned down pressed their bloody lips together roughly, Akaya's desperate return of the kiss making it all the much harder to pull away again. "If you don't come back to me, I'll never forgive you."

"AKAYA!"

They were running out of time. Doing the very last thing he wanted to, he reached up and ripped off the cuffs. 'I can find you anywhere. I'll get help and come back for you. I swear.' Their lips met one last time, then he was up and running away as fast as he could, Akaya's blood aiding him in his escape. In the back of his mind, he could still feel Akaya, their link strong again. His love was terrified. 'You're strong. Be brave. I love you.'

* * *

Author's Note: Yes, this fic still lives. I am going to finish it... eventually. Even if all the readers are gone and no one cares, I WILL FINISH IT.


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